Avenger  Book 3: The Return of the Crusaders
by BenRG
Summary: The final battle has begun: Rocket against Thunderbolt, father against son... and only one will survive  STORY COMPLETE!
1. Declaration of Intent

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Pokémon

Avenger by BenRG

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Legal Disclaimer

Pokémon, the Pocket Monsters and their human friends and enemies are all the sole copyright and trademark property of Nintendo Entertainment and 4 Kids Productions. No breach of any copyright or legal property is intended.

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Author's Notes

This is the last part of my first _Pokémon_ fic. As sad as it is, after all this time I _still_ don't know all the monsters or all the moves. I base my story purely on what I've seen of the cartoon and absorbed from other fan works. I thank all the other Pokémon writers on this board for providing plenty of inspiration. Special thanks to Charles "RocketBoy" Reilly, Wind, Joshua Falken, Chuchino and Catalina Storm for their comments, advice and encouragement.

Text in [squared-off brackets] indicates the translation of a Pokémon's language into English.

Text in _italics_ but not in quotes indicates thoughts.

Text in "_quotes and italics_" is speech from a speaker, telephone or some other electronic means

Text in **Bold Text** is an email sent by a mobile 'phone.

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This is an Alternate Universe story

Ages: Ash is 17 and Misty has just turned 19; Brock is 25; Jessie and James are both 24; Richie is 17; Duplicia is 18; Sabrina is 24; Lance is 16; Joy is 29; Delilah is 38; Professor Oak is 47; Gary is 18.

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Censor: R (Equivalent to UK '15' Certificate)

Content Warning: Swearing, explicit violence, description of injuries, implied sexual activity and mature topics.

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Book 3 – The Return of the Crusaders

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What has gone before…

It is the mid-twenty-first century, and in the land of Kanto, a war has begun. The heroic young Pokémon trainers known as Team Thunderbolt are waging a terrible struggle against the evil world-wide terrorist organisation Team Rocket. Leading these young heroes is Ash Ketchum, one of the greatest Pokémon trainers ever to have lived. Leading Team Rocket is the insane Giovanni diRocketti, the man once known as Joseph Oak, Ash's father.

After six months of struggle, both sides have inflicted terrible wounds on the other. While Team Rocket has lost many of its' hidden bases to lightning attacks by the young heroes, Team Rocket has inflicted a terrible revenge by destroying Pallet Town, Ash's hometown.

Now, Ash faces a terrible deadline. During the destruction of Pallet Town, Team Rocket kidnapped his mother, Delilah, his uncle and the man who has acted as his father for all of his life, Professor Samuel Oak, and one of his friends, Joy Burke. He has fourteen days to locate them and rescue them from his father's grasp or they will die a horrible death. Ash, in despair, is closer to the same fall into darkness that claimed his father than he is ever in his life. He is sustained only by the love of Misty Waterflower, his oldest companion, and the woman who he loves more than anything else.

Ash has put a risky plan in motion to rescue the three hostages, but as Giovanni's deadline runs out, it seems that everything may yet be lost and that nothing may stand in the way of Team Rocket becoming absolute overlords of the Earth.

A final battle has begun between Rocket and Thunderbolt, between father and son. A battle which only one will survive…

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And now, the continuation…

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Chapter 1 – Declaration of Intent

It was dawn in Vermilion City, one of the largest and most prosperous cities of the Kanto region. In the old commercial quarter of the city, there stood a building once known as the Vermilion Hyatt Hotel. In recent years, however, this building had gained a new owner, the feared terrorist organisation known as Team Rocket. 

The building, known in the organisation as the Vermilion Tower, had many purposes, but primarily it served as the home base for field operatives in Vermilion County. It also served as a security holding area for people that the Organisation wanted alive but weren't worth the risk of taking them to the Headquarters facility on Black Island.

Right now, two of the agents based at the Tower were returning with a most important prize. The base's commander, an Elite 'Red' Rocket named Mary-Jane (or MJ for short) and her second-in-command Peter were waiting as the Speareagle and the Fearaven circled towards them. There was a rider on both Pokémon, and the Fearaven also was carrying a passenger that the two Red Rockets could tell was slumped over in unconsciousness.

The two third-level evolved flying-types landed on the rooftop helipad. Their Trainers swung off of their backs and they co-operated in manoeuvring their (clearly unwilling) passenger off. After recalling their Pokémon, the two White Rockets dragged their prisoner towards their superiors.

MJ strode forward, her face split with an ecstatic grin. "I couldn't believe it when you two reported this!" she called out. "Yet here you are! The Boss is going to be _ecstatic _when he hears about this!"

The pair of White Rockets paused in dragging their semi-conscious prisoner and straightened perceptibly as they absorbed the base commander's praise. "Thank you, Ma'am," the man with a blonde hair and a droopy moustache. "But we're only doing our duty."

"Speak for yourself, Andrew!" the woman with shoulder-length black hair responded. "I think we're overdue a promotion."

"Shh… Kim, keep it down!" Andrew said with a grimace, shooting a significant look at MJ. Kim just rolled her eyes.

"Don't be afraid to boast of your achievements, Andrew," MJ said. "The Boss rewards his best agents, and you have done what very few have even attempted to do! You have caught a _Thunderbolt!_" MJ strode over and lifted the prisoner's head by her hair. It was a woman with fawn-coloured hair in two fluffy pigtails and what was probably a cheerful face when it wasn't beaten like that. MJ grinned at the prisoner when she realised there was a hint of consciousness in her eyes. "Welcome to Vermilion Tower, Ms. Simmonds," she sneered at Duplicia.

"Up… yours… _bitch_…" Duplicia groaned. 

"Watch your mouth," Kim snapped, thumping her prisoner over the head.

MJ laughed cruelly. "Why don't you take Duplicia down to join her colleagues?" she suggested. "I'll tell The Boss the good news. I have no doubt that you will be rewarded handsomely for your service to The Organisation."

Andrew and Kim nodded and dragged Duplicia off. As they left, Pete walked casually over to his commander. "Are you really going to tell The Boss that they captured Simmonds?" he asked.

MJ laughed darkly. "Why should I do those two grunts any favours?" she asked. "No, Petey-boy, you will be glad to know that this little success was entirely mine from planning to execution!" Pete laughed too and the two Red Rockets walked to the stairwell leading from the rooftop.

***

Delilah Ketchum jumped to her feet in surprise when the door to their cell swung open, Joy Burke and Samuel Oak just a split second behind her.

"Hey there, scum!" shouted the big Dan'in guard standing at the door, "we've got a surprise for you! One of your little friends has come for a visit."

A blonde man and a black-haired woman stepped around the corner and threw a fawn-haired woman that Delilah recognised immediately into the middle of the cell. "Say hello to your friend," the woman laughed. "You're going to be spending lots of time with her until your _execution_!"

Delilah jumped forward with a despairing cry. "Oh no! Duplicia, how could this have happened?" she asked. Joy moved forward to help her friend too, but Sam Oak caught the blond White Rocket's eye. There was something familiar about that lanky man, and he reacted in surprise when the man winked at him significantly. Then the guard slammed the door shut again and the sight was cut off.

Joy and Delilah dragged Duplicia to an unoccupied bunk. The former Imaté artiste was limp and her limbs hung in a way that suggested multiple fractures. "Duplicia! What happened?" Joy asked urgently.

"Uh… they came out of nowhere…" Duplicia moaned. "No time to… think let alone… uh…" the woman sagged and her eyes rolled up as she fainted.

Delilah felt her knees buckle. She felt a great despair in her heart as she realised that yet another of Ash's friends had been captured. Pretty soon, her insane ex-husband will have rounded up them _all_. She wanted to keep strong, but it was difficult. Sam put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't give up Delilah," he murmured. "It isn't over yet."

"I know," Delilah said. "But it's hard, Sam. How long before Joe has captured them all?"

Joy had grabbed the bucket that contained the prisoners' drinking water ration for the day and dipped the filthy bit of towelling they had been given for washing in the bucket. When the cloth was wet, she lifted it up to wash Duplicia's face. The girl was a mess, there was no doubt about that. Both her eyes were reddened and swollen, her left cheek was swelling from a blow and there were bloody cuts over her yes and on her right cheek. "What the hell did those _bastards _do to you Duplicia?" she asked helplessly. It was kind of reassuring that her friend hadn't been taken easily, but it was painful to see her so badly battered.

Joy tenderly leaned over, intending to wash her friend's cuts and soothe her bruises (she didn't want her getting an infection, after all). However, when the wet towelling touched the big cut over Duplicia's left eye, her face seemed to ripple into a pink mask before returning to its' previous shape. Joy nearly fell over backwards in her surprise. "What the…?" she blurted. Her utter shock attracted Sam and Delilah's attention and all three clustered over the battered girl.

"Shh…" Duplicia murmured. "No-one make too much noise. They don't have this cell wired for vision, but they do have it wired for sound." Duplicia waited for her advice to sink in before she suddenly swung to her feet, her movements suddenly strong and decisive. 

Delilah gasped at seeing a wounded person moving so smoothly. Her nurses' training protested at the sudden exertion. "Duplicia…" she gasped.

"What…?" Duplicia said quietly, "oh, the 'injuries!'" Duplicia stood up and touched her face. "Okay, Groucho," she said. There was a liquid rustling sound and suddenly Duplicia's face turned into a pink mask that flowed off down her body to the ground where it swelled into the familiar shape of a Ditto. Duplicia winked at the other three, her face completely untouched. When they were about to say something, she touched a forefinger to her lips in a bidding of silence. She stroked her short leather jacket, which also slid off with a liquid sound, turning into a second Ditto.

Delilah kept silent, knowing that it was critical that the Rockets not realise what a miracle had just taken place, but that didn't stop her from hugging Duplicia hard. "What do we do?" she murmured into the girl's ear.

"For now, make like I am still unconscious and you're trying to help me," she replied.

Delilah nodded. "I don't like the look of those cuts, Joy," she said loudly.

"I don't either," Sam added, grinning widely. He pulled a sheet off of one bunk and began to tear it. "Here, use this instead of that scrap of cloth. It is still fairly clean."

"Okay," Joy said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

***

"Hey, Andrew, Kim! Nice job!" a White Rocket called across the corridor, waving at the heroes of the hour.

"Yeah, you'd better remember it," Kim replied with a smirk, "because we're going to be on the Black Teams before too long!"

"Kim!" Andrew protested again, making his partner laugh at his embarrassment. The two continued to walk around the habitat levels, making sure that as many people as possible saw them. After fifteen minutes, they suddenly turned off the well-travelled corridors. Like fugitive ghosts, they fled down several poorly lit service corridors, and finally darted through a door that led to the emergency stairwell that linked every level of the tower.

After climbing twenty stories (an experience that made them thankful for years of regulation callisthenics), they arrived at Level 30, the tower's highest level. This area was mostly the home of the tower's water tanks, the elevator machinery and a few electrical service panels. However, there was also something else up here, and it, specifically, was what brought them up here.

Up ahead was a small office made up of pressboard walls where the most isolated terminal of the base's computer system was located. It was here that a very bored technician named Nigel watched over the base's water system. It was a thankless and unglamorous job, which made Nigel only too glad to talk to the two junior field agents who took such an interest in his duties.

"You know what to do," Jessie Scarlet said to James Weston. The man with the dyed blond hair nodded once and walked off into the maze of water tanks and piping.

Jessie watched him go and gathered her thoughts. Ash's plan was… well it was ambitious. It called for split-second timing. However, this level of precision was necessary given the three vulnerable hostages that needed to be saved before their captors realised they were under attack. Jessie nodded to herself, put on her best seductive smile and then walked over to Nigel's office. Without bothering to knock, she barged in. "Hey, Nigel!" she called.

Nigel turned around from his paperwork with a surprised expression. "Miss Kim!" he said in surprise. "How nice to see you! Where's Andrew?"

"He's somewhere about," Jessie said, dismissing 'Andrew' with an airy wave of her hand. "I just thought I would come and see how you are doing today!" Jessie, using the skills all women know instinctively, moved slightly, thrusting forward her full breasts and cocking her hips seductively. It was rather pathetic, but Nigel almost started to drool. Jessie rolled her eyes. It was the sort of reaction she was expecting, but it didn't make her view the technician any more kindly.

Some distance away, James was standing in front of a locked metal mesh gateway. A sign on the gate read: 'Fire-fighting Supply Lines. No Unauthorised Access.' James was staring at his watch, counting down the seconds. "Five, four, three, two, one…" He pulled a Pokéball from behind him and activated it. "Go Victreebell!" The massive motile pitcher plant materialised beside her Trainer. It was a testament to years of training and intense battling side-by-side that the Pokémon no longer tried to eat him alive. "Okay, Victreebell, rip off that gate!"

Victreebell turned, extended her vine whips and used her immense strength to literally tear the gate off of its' hinges.

Back in the office, Jessie had Nigel completely hypnotised with her body. "So you see," she cooed seductively, "I was hoping I would be able to see you alone." She winked coquettishily. "I knew that I would be sure to get the appreciation I deserve from someone like you!" She put a gloved finger under the man's chin and towed him forwards. She looked into his glazed eyes. "So, what are my chances of getting my own personal hot water ration?" she asked.

"A… anything Miss Kim," Nigel said, not really understanding what she was saying. Jessie noticed that a red light had blinked on behind Nigel indicating that someone had gained unauthorised access to the room where the riser pipes for the sprinkler system were housed.

James was now in the small room, looking at the pipes that supplied water to the entire building's sprinkler and fire hose system. "Go Piloswine," James said, releasing his Ice-type. The massive two-legged tusked snow pig materialised right in front of James and, as usual, greeted his trainer with the smelliest and foulest lick in creation. "Yuck! Ugh…" James wiped his lips. "Piloswine, use Blizzard on those pipes!"

Piloswine looked at the pipes and snarled. He immediately charged and slammed his massive bulk against the pipes, fracturing several of them and sending water jetting across the room. James cursed venomously under his breath. Jessie never had this trouble with Wobbuffet and Magcargo. He could only assume that he really wasn't very good at this Pokémon Training game. "No you dumb throw rug!" he hissed at the ice-type, "use _Blizzard _not _Horn Charge_!"

[Oh! Gotcha, Boss!] Piloswine said in his good-natured voice. He breathed out and the temperature in the room dropped instantly. The pipes were instantaneously covered in a good half-centimetre thickness of ice. The water that was jetting everywhere was also frozen, turning the room into a strange kind of ice sculpture. James nodded in satisfaction.

Jessie now had Nigel virtually on his knees staring at her in dumb-witted way. "Now… how can I repay you for being so nice?" she asked with a winning smile.

Nigel was spared the problem of answering that question by a sudden audible alarm. He turned around and stared at his status panel in a combination of anger and confusion as he tried to get his mind back onto his assigned duties after the pleasant void of staring at 'Kim's' body. "What…?" he blurted. He blinked stupidly at the flashing red lights on the schematic of the building on the far wall for a few seconds before realising what was happening. "Hey! The entire sprinkler system has had a pressure failure!" The man lunged across the room and hammered at the keyboard of his terminal for a few seconds. "The pumps are fine! I'd better check this out!" He grabbed his toolkit and fled the small office!

"Don't be too long!" Jessie called. As soon as he was out of earshot she added in a quieter voice: "you loser and pervert!"

Jessie sat down at the terminal and briefly composed herself, remembering the lessons that Richie had given her. In seconds, she had accessed the underlying program grid of the base's entire control system. One could normally only alter the functioning of the computer at this operating level if you had both the commanding Red Rockets' access codes, but Jessie had something better. She slid an LS-120 floppy disc into the 'A:' drive and let the vicious virus it carried auto-install.

Nigel stood there, completely aghast as he looked at the flash-frozen pipes. "How… how did this happen?" he asked in disbelief.

"Can't you guess?" asked a slightly nasal male voice.

Nigel half turned hearing the voice of a man known as 'Andrew,' but what he saw was a massive grey-white two-legged snow pig charging towards him. "PILOSWINE!" the creature bellowed and knocked him tumbling across the room, quite unconscious.

"That was unsubtle, James," Jessie commented as she walked up to join her partner.

"Hey, whatever gets the job done," James remarked, making her laugh. Jessie and James tied and gagged the unconscious technician before turning to descend to the detention levels once more.

***

At Team Rocket's headquarters on Black Island, Giovanni diRocketti had been reviewing the organisation's accounts for the previous calendar year. The last year had seen a massive drop in profits, due almost entirely to his son and his band of foolish but dangerous allies. Still, the scheme that he was currently undertaking should end that particular liability.

Ash Ketchum had not yet surrendered himself to the forces of Team Rocket, but that didn't particularly worry Giovanni. There were still four days left to his deadline, and he felt certain that his son's… stubbornness would make it unlikely that he would appear before the deadline had anything more than minutes left to run. Even so, he felt _modestly_ confident that this strategy would defeat Team Thunderbolt. Even so, a tiny voice in his head told him that there was _no_ strategy foolproof enough to defeat his son…

Giovanni shook his head and blinked in confusion when he heard his intercom buzz. He only infrequently engaged in introspection like that and the lost time always bothered him. The intercom buzzed again. He pressed the 'accept' switch. "Yes, go," he said.

"_Boss_," said Old Mondo, "_we have a signal for you from Vermilion Tower Base. Agents-in-Charge Mary-Jane Parker and Peter Smith have some excellent news they wish to report to you personally!_"

Mondo did not see his Boss's eyebrow go up, of course. "What is this 'good news?'" he asked in a bored tone.

"_They have captured one of Team Thunderbolt!_" Mondo said, his voice excited.

"Really?" Giovanni was surprised. "Well, put them through then!"

***

The two Dan'in outside the cell where Professor Oak, Delilah, Joy and Duplicia were being held were calm and relaxed. The cell was one of the most secure on the base, sealed on an electronic and physical level making escape an impossibility. According to the Security Watch Commander through their Secret Service-style radio earpieces, the cell was fairly quiet within, with all three conscious prisoners concerning themselves with treating their new companion's injuries.

Even if they were aggressively trying to escape, the construction of the cell door, three inch-thick steel with an inflating door seal, made it impossible to get out unless someone were to turn the depressurisation wheel and open the door from the outside.

Suddenly the older guard looked up and saw Kim and Andrew walking down the corridor. "Hi… uh…" Kim paused for a moment and looked at the guard through narrowed eyes, "John, right"?

"That's right, Agent Walton," the guard replied gruffly. "What can we do for you?"

"Oh, we just came to look at the prisoners," Kim said with a sick, sadistic smile. "You know, ogle at 'em and gloat."

John stiffened. "I'm sorry, Ma'am," the Dan'in guardsman said in a very formal tone of voice, "but no-one is allowed into this cell without the Base Commander's authorisation."

"I know that, silly," Jessie said. She walked up to the guard and violated his personal space, pressing herself against him and stroking his chin. "Still… could you make an exception for little old me?"

John tried to stay professional, but Jessie's performance made that difficult. "Ma'am… please, I'm on duty," he said in a hoarse tone of voice.

John's companion was interested in this show and was watching as John tried to fend Jessie off. Because of that, he did not notice 'Andrew' looking at his watch. James knew that this required split-second timing. The moment came and James slid discreetly behind the second guard and span the depressurisation wheel. The loud hiss of the airbags that sealed the door suddenly emptying caught both guards' attention. "What the… stop that!" the younger guard shouted. "Are you mad?"

"No, I'm quite sane," James assured him with a winning smile. I'm just freeing the prisoners."

The younger guard pulled his pistol from its' holster and levelled it at James. "You're under arrest!" he shouted. Suddenly, there was a choking noise from behind him. The guard risked a look behind him and saw John staggering backwards. Jessie was hanging onto his back, her arms wrapped around the big guard's throat in a sleeper hold. 

James took the moment's distraction to lunge towards the younger guard and grab his wrists, forcing the pistol up and away. "Security Alert at Cell Fifteen-Twenty!" the guard shouted, using his glove-mounted control to activate his radio throat-microphone. No-one replied to his frantic call. All that he could hear over his radio earpiece was the hiss of white noise. 

As John slumped to the floor, quite unconscious, the young guard desperately tried to struggle with James. At that moment, something made of pink gel slid out from under the suddenly-unsealed door and rose to form a Ditto. The little morphing-type saw what was happening and, as his Trainer had commanded seconds before, transformed himself into a Weepingbell. He breathed stun spores over the guard, whose eyes rolled up and he collapsed.

"Yuck, I hate the smell of stun spores," James said with a grimace. "Thanks… uh… Groucho is it?"

"Ditto!" Groucho said, nodding his bell-shaped head in agreement.

Jessie grinned in triumph and stepped forward to open the door to the cell. The door swung open to reveal Joy and Duplicia in a combative posture with a Machamp standing in between them. "Woah! Guys, it's me, Jessie!" Jessie said, taking a few steps back.

"I know that, silly," Duplicia said with a girlish giggle. She stepped out of the cell and patted the pseudo-Weepingbell on the head. "Well done, Groucho," she said. "Revert."

As Groucho the Ditto returned to his 'default' shape, Jessie took umbrage at Duplicia's priorities when it came to handing out praise. "So aren't you going to thank _us_?" she asked tartly.

"No; you are egomaniacs," Duplicia said with a laugh, "and you don't need any praise from _me_ to confirm your high view of yourselves."

Jessie grunted angrily, but James took Duplicia's comments philosophically. He would go trawling for compliments when they were out of the building. He opened his tunic and pulled out two packages. He threw one to Duplicia and one to Joy. "Here you go," he said calmly. The two Thunderbolts tore open the packages and found their Pokébelts within. With an expression of relief, they strapped them around their waists.

Delilah and Professor Oak stared at the two 'Rockets' in disbelief. "Jessie and James?" Delilah said quietly, not sure who she could trust at this point.

"In the flesh," Jessie said with a cheery wave. With swift motions, Jessie and James pulled off their no-longer needed disguises and were once again in their civilian clothes. James was wearing a green polo shirt and blue jeans, Jessie was wearing a black vest top and a black pair of slacks.

"I thought it was you in disguise," Professor Oak said in a sage tone of voice. "No one walks quite like you, Ms. Scarlet."

Jessie blushed at that off-hand comment. "Come on, Mrs. Ketchum, Professor," she said, "it's time to go."

Joy had just finished tearing off the two unconscious Rocket's radio microphones. "What's the plan?" she asked.

"For now, stay out of sight," Duplicia said, her mischievous side suddenly buried beneath the cold warrior that had developed over the last six months of her life. "Is everything on schedule guys?" she asked Jessie and James.

"Would we be here if it wasn't?" Jessie asked with a triumphant smile. At that point, the lights all went out. A few seconds later, the dim red emergency lights blinked on. 

"Okay, folks," Duplicia said, "as I mentioned, we're on a schedule, so let's get moving."

Delilah suddenly felt an incredible hope swell within her breast and the exhaustion of nearly two weeks of imprisonment and starvation-level rations was gone. The four Thunderbolts and their two friends jogged away down the corridor.

***

"_Once we realised that the Thunderbolts were reconnoitring the base,_" MJ was telling Giovanni, "_it was a simple matter to wait for the next time one of them came close and trap her._" The Red Rocket puffed up in pride. "_She put up quite a fight, but Peter and I were able to take her in the end_."

"Kindly dispense with your tale of courage and genius," Giovanni said in a cold, dispassionate tone. On the screen MJ began to sweat. "I want to know what the Thunderbolts were doing near the base where we have our hostages. I also want to know how much _they_ know. I assume you have interrogated the new prisoner?" 

There was a long pause before MJ replied. "_In… interrogated…?_" she squeaked.

Giovanni rolled his eyes. "Of course you haven't, you idiot," he spat. "You were too eager to contact me and boast of your achievement. Now I want you to take your head out of the clouds and get me my answers." Giovanni poked a finger at image of the Red Rocket. "And if you don't do so _quickly_, Ms. Parker, you will not be looking forward to promotion or a reward, but facing a _firing squad_! Do you understand?"

MJ went white and tried to babble something, _anything_ that would make The Boss less angry with her. "_Sir!_" she blurted. "_I assure you that we find out everything that she…_" the picture flashed with interference and MJ's voice began to come and go, drowned out by hissing static. "_Questioning… right now… Peter… certain… results… quickly… sir… worry… duty…_" The picture snowed over and the voice was silent.

Giovanni sat back in his chair. "Communications," he said calmly, "what has happened to the signal from Vermilion Tower Base?"

There was a brief pause. "_Signal cut off at the source, sir,_" replied the technician manning the communications console. "_We've lost the carrier wave too. Shall I try to re-establish the link?_"

"No," Giovanni said, his voice glacially calm. "Order a general alert for the Vermilion sector. All field teams are to converge on the Tower immediately."

***

"What the hell happened to the lights?" Peter snarled to one of the technicians in Vermilion Tower's Command & Control Centre. It was a difficult question for the technician to answer as every computer terminal in the building had locked up. The lights had gone out and the intercom system was completely jammed. It was times like this that Peter was glad that every major operational location in the building had a stock of battery-operated walkie-talkies.

"Sir… I'm not sure," the technician replied helplessly. "It… it seems to be a problem with the main computer system!"

"Then _fix it_," Peter suggested angrily. "You know how vulnerable the base is right now!" The technician nodded fearfully and turned away from the enraged Red Rocket, wondering how he was supposed to fix the computer system when there was no way to access it.

Peter's worry was well founded. Built in the middle of a heavily-inhabited commercial district and disguised as a civilian office building, Vermilion Tower was a security specialist's nightmare. Anyone could, theoretically, walk off the streets and into the middle of a Team Rocket base. To prevent that, the building had a very strictly and well-disguised security system to control who and what got past the building's public façade in the lobby. However, with the power distribution system compromised and the main internal communications network down, most of these systems were now dependant on the abilities of the two dozen disguised Dan'in fighters in the lobby. Those guards were doubtless confused, disoriented and operating at less-than-optimum efficiency with most of their equipment suddenly disabled.

Peter looked up as, with a great deal of groaning and exertion, MJ managed to half-open the door from her office into C&C. "What the hell is going on?" she snapped. "I was in the middle of talking to The Boss when I lost the communications line! A few seconds later all the lights go out and I had to _force _the door open."

"Your guess is as good as mine," Peter replied. "All I know is that the base's computer system has seized up." Peter scowled at nothing in particular. "This is what we get for giving contracts to the lowest bidder."

"You idiot!" MJ snapped. "Has it occurred to you to question why we would have had such a specific system failure _now_ of all times? The Thunderbolts must be about to attack the base! We have to secure the prisoners."

"Now don't get your jocks in a twist, MJ," Peter said with admirable calm. "I've already sent extra security to the cell." No-one had to ask what cell that he was referring to.

***

Ten armed Dan'in were charging down the corridor towards the special security cell where The Boss's special prisoners were kept. In the dim half-light provided by the emergency lighting system, none of the terrorist fighters saw the web across the corridor until they were tangled in it. 

"What the…?" one of the Rockets spluttered. "Where did this web come from?"

"From here, actually," said a voice. The Rockets just had enough chance to see a blonde-haired man in civilian clothing standing by a suddenly-opened closet door before the Weezing hovering beside him breathed out a Smog attack. 

"Show off," Jessie said, punching her boyfriend on the arm. James grinned unrepentantly as he recalled his Tetrantula to his Pokéball and then he led the escapees and infiltrators along the corridor and their meeting with old lady liberty herself.

***

"What do you mean you haven't heard from the security team?" MJ was shouting into her walkie-talkie. "Ten armed Dan'in do not simply _disappear_!"

"_I… I'm sorry, Ma'am, but none of them are responding to my signals…_" babbled the security watch commander.

"Don't give me more excuses," MJ snarled, "just send some more troops to find out what is going on!"

Suddenly another voice broke into the connection. "_Alert in the Lobby! We're under…_" There was a loud crashing sound from the other end of the new signal followed by a series of screams and the sounds of numerous Pokémon attacks.

"_Intruders in the Lobby…_"

"_Watch out…!_" MJ heard the sound of what could only be an Omni-blast attack and an explosion followed by several screams.

"_Rai… CHUUUUU!_"shouted a high-pitched voice, and then there was only silence.

MJ went pale and just stood there, staring into space. Peter grabbed her walkie-talkie. He knew what to do now, The Boss's orders on the subject left no room for interpretation. "Commander, get some men down to the cell with the four Thunderbolt prisoners," he ordered. "Release the nerve gas."

***

The security watch commander was a veteran of fifteen years standing. He was no fool and he didn't like this situation one bit. However, he was also a company man to the bone and he wasn't going to disobey a direct order, no matter how terrifying it was to be here. He walked along the semi-darkened corridor from his control station to the cell with the special prisoners, armed to the teeth. He was carrying a pair of MP-5 sub-machineguns and a full load of Pokémon.

Suddenly he came upon an incredible sight: ten of his troops tangled up in what was some kind of spider's web, undoubtedly spun by a Spinarak, a Trapdoom or some other spider-like Pokémon. He was surprised, but not enough to freeze. He reached behind him and pulled out a Pokéball. With a smooth movement, he released a Kabutops.

"Kabutops, cut through that web," he ordered. The fossil/fighting-type Pokémon complied. As the Black Rocket walked forward to step through the newly opened gap, he smelt the unmistakable stench of a Koffing or a Weezing's Smog attack. That explained what had happened to the ten troops (who were mostly still tangled up in the web – he didn't have the time or the inclination to cut them free).

After carefully rounding a few corners, he came to the cell where the prisoners taken from Pallet Town (plus that one caught just this morning) were being kept. As has already been stated, this man was no fool, so he wasn't remotely surprised to see the cell's two guards slumped, either unconscious or dead, and the cell door wide open.

The man pulled his walkie-talkie from its' holster. "Command and Control, this is security. The prisoners have escaped; I say again, the prisoners have escaped."

***

With an enormous roar of collapsing masonry, Ash's Rhydon used Rock Slide to smash through the back wall of the lobby and into the interior of the Team Rocket base. Ash, Misty, Sabrina and Lance strode boldly through the devastation. "Split by pairs," Ash ordered. "Deny the Rockets the use of this level."

"Yes, Ash," Sabrina said. She reached behind her and pulled out a Pokéball. "Go Misdrevous!" she shouted, releasing one of the powerful ghost-types. "Misdrevous, start using Terror!" Immediately, the few Rockets who had appeared in the corridor turned and ran, screaming in terror. "Good work, now get ready to use Hypnosis on my command! Let's go Lance!"

Lance released his massive Machamp and the two of them (plus Pokémon) ran down the right-hand corridor. Ash watched them go, seeing a single Rocket dive out of a room, only to be punched straight through a plasterboard wall by Machamp.

"Okay, Misty, let's do it," Ash said, gesturing down the left-hand corridor. Misty grinned and nodded in agreement. Preceded by Togetic, and Raichu, the two soul-mates set off. Their mission was a simple one: render every Rocket on this level unconscious and knock out every method of reaching this level from another by smashing every staircase and sabotaging every elevator.

There followed the most intense few minutes of battle that Ash had ever experienced before. The two Red Rockets who were the base co-commanders had obviously figured out that an attack would have to secure this level first and had poured every available troop they had onto this level in an attempt to beat the Thunderbolts back.

As Raichu used his Thunder Wave attack to drive back a dozen Rockets and their Pokémon, Ash allowed himself a smile. With all this effort and all this power going into the attack, it was almost a pity that it was for nothing. Ash had planned and executed a few diversionary attacks in his time before this, but this one was a big one.

***

"What do you mean 'the prisoners have escaped?'" This was the first thing MJ had said after several minutes of shocked paralysis.

"That doesn't matter, MJ," Peter said discreetly. 

MJ shot him a surprised look, but figured he was correct. The hows and whys of this situation were both things best left to an official post-mortem in the weeks to come. Both Red Rockets knew what they had to do. The Boss had ordered that the prisoners were to be executed if there was any risk of the Thunderbolts freeing them. "Peter, I want you to go down to the security level and find the prisoners. Take as many troops as you need."

Peter nodded once and turned to leave the C&C centre. To his surprise the door didn't open. Peter scowled and used the manual crank to laboriously open the door. "When will these systems be on line again?" he roared.

The sweating systems technician tried to look innocent and helpless. "I… I don't know, sir," he said. "It looks like someone inserted a malign program into the computer system! It has locked all the major systems, changed the security passwords and switched everything into standby mode!"

"Then get it out!" Peter shouted.

"I _can't_ the technician wailed. "It's written itself into the system BIOS. I would have to _physically_ change the BIOS chip in every file server to remove it." 

There was a long, disbelieving pause. "Then I suggest you get moving," MJ said quietly. The technician paled, but he saw he had no choice. As soon as Peter had the doors open, he fled the room.

With a terrifying scowl, MJ turned back to watching the frozen and unresponsive controls in her C&C room. The implications of this attack were terrifying. It meant that the base had been infiltrated and its' most secure systems compromised. But how? How did the Thunderbolts get an agent or agents into her base? MJ started to think furiously. There _had_ to be a way to blame this on someone other than herself. The Boss would demand an explanation for this debacle, and MJ didn't want the blame to fall on her. The curious thing was she hadn't yet considered the possibility that Team Rocket might lose this battle.

***

Twenty levels below, Ash had got into a nice, relaxing Pokémon battle. "You're dead, kid," a big, beefy White Rocket hissed. "Scyther, cut him to sushi!"

Ash tensed as the fighting bug charged. At the last moment, he dived through the creature's legs and rolled upright. As he did so, he caught one of his Pokéballs and activated it. "Pidgeot, I choose you!" Ash's evolved flying-type materialised between Ash and the Scyther with a white flash. "Use Razor Feather Throw, Pidgeot," he commanded.

Pidgeot unleashed a hail of razor-sharp feathers laced with a neurotransmitter-inhibiting venom. Scyther's tough exoskeleton protected him from most of the impacts, but several hit his vulnerable joints. The bug squealed in pain.

"Use Gust," Ash continued. Pidgeot began to flap his wings, blowing the stunned Scyther down the corridor and into a wall. The creature slumped down. "Now, finish it with Peck and Razor Wing!"

"Pidg-EEEE!" Pigeot cried out loudly, speeding down the corridor. A few strikes were enough to knock the injured Scyther out.

"I'll get you!" the field agent shouted, lunging towards Ash. Ash, almost without any visible effort, blocked the man's furious lunge with a knife, seized his arm and then twisted it, forcing him to drop the weapon. Ash then punched the man under his diaphragm, kicked him in the back of the knee and sent him down for the count with a chop to the back of the neck.

Ash, panting hard, wiped the sweat from his brow. There was the sound of applause. "Thanks for the backup, Misty," Ash said in a tone of mock accusation.

"Now you know you wouldn't have liked it if I'd interfered with your grandstanding performance," Misty said with a broad, girlish grin. She stepped away from the wall that she had been leaning against and walked over. "Don't take it personally," she said, "I love you all the more for your effort, Hero!"

Ash grinned and winked her. "I always put my best show on for you, Misty," he said. Misty grinned and gave Ash a peck on the cheek. Ash turned to recall Pidgeot to his Pokéball.

[Can you two _please_ keep your mind on business?] Raichu groused, making both Trainers laugh.

There was a sudden explosion at the far end of the corridor. Ash and Misty both swung around, grabbing Pokéballs. About a dozen terrified Dan'in came charging down the corridor, hotly pursued by Lance's Machamp and Hitmontop. Ash tensed as the fighters ran towards him. "Okay, Raichu stand by for a Stun Shock," Ash warned.

As it turned out, it wasn't necessary. Sabrina's Haunter and Ghastly suddenly phased out of the corridor walls ahead and to either side of the fleeing Rockets and simultaneously unleashed a Terror attack. All the Rockets froze in their tracks and a few of them fainted. All the rest were too scared to move before Machamp reached them and started banging their heads together.

A few seconds later, Sabrina and Lance rounded the same corner. Both of them looked fine, although Lance was looking at one of his Pokéballs in a worried way. "Are you two okay?" Ash asked. "What was that explosion?"

"Some kind of energy weapon that those Rockets were trying to set up," Lance replied. "My Golem took it out, but I think he might need some rejuvenation. He took a few direct hits."

"We've taken out every access point on our end of the building, Ash," Sabrina cut in. 

"Well, we've _almost_ taken out every access point at our end," Ash said, shooting Misty a significant look and a gesture towards the door from where Ash's former opponent had originally emerged.

Misty bowed mockingly and pulled a Pokéball from her bandoleer. "Always leaving the tough jobs to me, Ketchum?" she asked with an arch smile.

"Nah, only the ones that are appropriate to someone with your sense of subtlety," Ash responded.

Misty laughed and activated the Pokéball. "Come on out, Gyarados," she said. Misty's Gyarados materialised, filling the corridor. "Okay, Gyarados," Misty said, lovingly stroking her first Pokémon's snout, "please tear out those stairs for me, just the ones on this level." Gyarados curved through the fire doors and tore into the concrete stairs with a fierce abandon.

"That Pokémon enjoys this too much," Ash remarked. Misty shrugged easily. When her Pokémon emerged from the stairwell, she gave the huge sea serpent a stroke on the snout and recalled him to his Aqua-type Pokéball.

***

About ten yards below these events and about two hundred yards to the north, a fierce battle was taking place in what Professor Oak supposed was some kind of staging area.

Jessie, James, Duplicia, Joy, Delilah and the Professor were huddling behind a makeshift barricade made up from cargo containers as several dozen Black- and White-team agents accompanied by several high-level Pokémon and scores of armed Dan'in fighters attempted to overrun their position.

"This is suicidal!" Joy screamed as her Pikachu unleashed a Thunder Wave attack. "We'll be killed if we stay here! Let's get out of here!"

"No!" Jessie shouted as her Fearaven used Whirlwind to suck up a Koffing's Smog attack and flush it back at the Rockets. "We have to stay here or we're finished!"

"You're crazy!" Joy snapped, but she threw herself into the fray with even more determination. She unleashed her Geodude. "Okay, Geodude, use Rollout!" The Geodude rolled along the floor, knocking over a pair of charging Hitmonlees as if they were skittles.

"Why do we have to stay here?" Professor Oak asked James.

"Let's just say that this is our extraction point," James said with a slight grin. He stood up and looked at the battle. "Growly! Dodge right and use Flame Lance!" James' loyal Arcanine jumped to one side, avoiding a hail of Razor Leaves from a TR Bulbasaur. A few seconds later, his Flame Lance attack struck the small Plant/Poison-type on its' bulb and knocked it out.

"Our 'extraction point?'" Delilah asked rhetorically. She winced and ducked as an Omni-blast splintered the crate that she was cowering behind. _I hate this_, she thought, a red rage boiling in her heart. _I've been kidnapped, seen my home and my hometown smashed, I've been beaten, starved and now I am being _shot_ at. Well I have had _enough_!_ Motivated by rage, Delilah grabbed a pair of MP-5s that the escaping Thunderbolts had liberated from the guards and jumped up. With a cry of rage she squeezed the triggers on both carbines, sending a hail of 9mm bullets towards the Rockets, who all hit the dirt. 

There was no chance of someone of her lack of skill _hitting_ someone under these conditions, but it certainly kept the enemy back. Sam and the four Thunderbolts could only stare in astonishment as Delilah ran both guns dry and then dropped them, still breathing heavily. "Oh… oh my!" Delilah whispered, amazed and a little horrified at what she had just done.

"Okay, she's out of ammo, let's go!" shouted one of the Rockets.

"Weezing," James said. He got no further. The alarm on his watch bleeped and, suddenly, the roof caved in.

The Rockets froze for a moment, blinking blindly in the sudden sunlight after the gloom of the dimly-lit base. "Magneton, use Stun Shock," shouted a voice. There was a flash of golden-white electricity and the Rockets tumbled to the ground, twitching and smouldering.

The six escapees looked up (Joy, Delilah and Professor Oak with a feeling of amazement) to see Brock and Richie grinning down at them. "Hi guys, want a lift?" Brock asked. Before anyone could reply, Richie's Ivysaur and Bayleef began to lower their vine whips as make-shift climbing ropes.

***

"What are you doing, Ash?" Misty asked as Ash typed quick and one-fingered on the computer terminal.

"I don't want anyone hurt worse than totally necessary," Ash said. He entered the new command-level password that Richie's virus had created and reactivated the base's fire warning system. "I want to get everyone out alive, if I can."

Lance looked surprised and Sabrina looked approving. "You're my hero," Misty whispered into Ash's ear.

Suddenly there was a fluttering of wings and a patter of small feet. Ash touched a Pokéball, but relaxed when he saw Nightflight, his Venomoth, and Seeker, his Marril running towards him. Both Pokémon had originally belonged to Ash's dead friend Tracey Sketchitt, and their tracking skills had proven invaluable to Ash's campaign against Team Rocket.

[This level of the building is clear, Ash,] Seeker reported. [All the Rockets are unconscious and Nightflight has teleported them out into the car park.]

Ash nodded in satisfaction. "Okay," he said, "let's get out of here."

***

Delilah struggled to her feet and raised her face to the blessed sun, letting its warmth flow over her. She hadn't expected to see the sun ever again, not really. She might have hoped that Ash would save her, but she didn't really believe it in her heart. She was a little ashamed of that pessimism. Now she looked around at the car park of the Team Rocket base in some amazement. 

There was a massive hole in the ground where Brock's Onyx and Golem had torn open the roof of the underground staging area. As Delilah watched, unconscious Rockets were materialising a few inches above the ground and dropping to the blacktop, their limbs limp. "Hey, we've got to remove their suicide devices!" Brock suddenly said. He drew out several pairs of dental pliers and threw them to the others.

As Delilah watched, the six youngsters went about removing the hollow teeth containing the poison that her psychopathic ex-husband had ordered his followers to use if they were captured. She shook her head. "Even after all this time, I still hoped, Sam," she said quietly. Professor Oak stepped up to her side and touched her shoulder supportively. "I hoped that, if Ash could capture Joe, we could cure him and I would have the man I still love so much back."

Sam's face darkened with a pain that didn't entirely result from just his brother's fall into the darkness. "Joe is gone, Delilah," Sam said quietly. "He died a long time ago. This is just one more bit of proof of that fact."

"MOM!" Ash shouted. He ran over and literally jumped into her arms. Delilah gasped as her suddenly so-tall and so-muscular son collided with her and nearly knocked her off of her feet. "Mom… thank God you're all right," Ash gasped, tears streaming down his face.

"Delilah! It's so good to see you safe!" Misty ran up and hugged Delilah too, making the woman laugh.

"It's okay, Ash," Delilah murmured, stroking her trembling son's hair. "Mommy is here, Ash my darling. Mommy's here."

Ash released his grip and grinned at his mother. "This'll show Giovanni," Ash said with a bright grin. "He'll have to learn from _this_!"

"Hey, what am I, chopped liver?" Professor Oak said with his slow, broad smile. Ash laughed and slapped the man on the shoulder. Misty stepped away from Delilah and gave the Professor a little kiss on the cheek that made him blush in embarrassment and made feelings that Delilah didn't want to examine too closely writhe deep within her heart.

Ash, who hadn't released his mother's shoulders, looked at her closely and noticed the healing cuts and bruises. His sharp, dark eyes also noted the tattered edges of her blouse and skirt. Delilah noticed his scrutiny. "Don't worry, Ash," she said quietly. "They weren't gentle, but no lasting harm was done."

"Mom they didn't… they didn't _abuse_ you did they?" Ash asked, his voice quiet and darkly furious.

"No, they didn't," Delilah assured him. She didn't mention that she suspected that it was because Joe… no, Sam was right about that… because _Giovanni _wanted _that_ pleasure reserved for him alone.

Ash nodded, not convinced, but unable to pursue the matter now. He released his mother's shoulders and turned back to the building. It would only take minutes for the Rockets to use ropes or something else to get past the smashed stairs and there would only be a few more minutes at best before the Vermilion City Security Police responded to reports of a disturbance around the old Hyatt hotel. "Okay, let's finish this," he said, reaching for a Pokéball. "Brock, you and Joy escort Mom and the Professor back to Pallet Town. Sabrina, I want you, Lance, Richie and Duplicia to smoke out the rest of the Rockets in the underground part of the base and secure them. Misty, you are with me." Ash threw his Pokéball. "Charizard, I choose you!"

Misty released her Dragonite and Ember, her Houndoom. The two young people leapt up onto their Dragons and launched themselves into the air. Delilah watched them go as Brock released his Aerodactyl. "Come on, Mrs. Ketchum, Professor," Brock said quietly. He kept looking at Joy who was amazingly tense and was actively trying to avoid his gaze.

Suddenly two massive streams of fire, one from Charizard and one from Ember, flashed from the Dragons and slammed into the ground floor of the building. Flames boiled out brightly and quickly began to spread upwards through the tall hotel building. Delilah gasped. "What… what is he doing?" she cried out. "He'll kill them all!" Delilah's voice rose to a scream as the nightmare possibility of losing her son as she lost her husband suddenly reared its' ugly head. "ASH! NO…!"

"Come _on_," Brock said, tugging on Delilah's arm. "Mrs. Ketchum, you've got to trust Ash! He knows what he's doing, but if we stand around waiting to be arrested, it will be all for nothing! Come on!"

Delilah reluctantly turned away and joined Joy and Sam on Aerodactyl's back. The fossil/flying-type screeched and rose off the ground, heading south-west towards Pallet Town.

***

A loud, raucous alarm filled the Command & Control Centre, making MJ jump. The last report she had from Peter was that he had cornered the escapees in the underground staging area. He had not reported in for five minutes now and she was getting worried. Now this. "What is that alarm?" she shouted.

"Every fire alarm on the ground floor has just gone off," a technician reported. His fingers flew across his terminal's keyboard before he remembered that all the terminals were still locked off by the virus. "The sprinkler system is out… the fire doors are all jammed open and we can't seal the ventilation system." The technician considered the flashing red graphics on the monitors around him for a few seconds. "Commander, the fire has already spread to the first floor."

MJ felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. The Thunderbolts had planned this to perfection. She had lost her base and now it looked like she was about to lose her life. She raised her walkie-talkie and selected the 'All-Call' frequency. "This is the Commander," she announced. "All units retreat to the top floor. I repeat all units retreat to the top floor immediately, that is all."

"Ma'am, why are we going to the top floor?" one of the technicians wanted to know.

MJ looked at him levelly. "It is the furthest point from the fire," she said. "The Boss must know we are under attack, so we wait up there for air transports to arrive and pick us up." 

"And if there are no evacuation transports on the way?" the first technician asked.

"Then it is as good a place as any to make a last stand," MJ announced in a flat tone of voice. "Come on."

***

Outside the burning hotel building, Charizard and Dragonite continued to circle. Ash was beginning to sweat. He had a schedule to work to and it was tight. He didn't want to have to celebrate freeing his mother from captivity by having to fight his way out of the city through the ranks of the Security Police. On the other hand, however, too much haste on his part could easily cost lives.

Suddenly, Ash felt the most curious sensation in the front of his head. There was a sensation like an ice cold finger touching him and a familiar voice imposed itself on his consciousness. _Ash_, Sabrina announced telepathically, _we have secured the building's lower levels and neutralised all the Team Rocket Agents' suicide devices._

Ash swallowed. Telepathic communication always made him feel weird, even if he was getting used to it now. _Good work Sabrina_, he replied. _You and the others get back to Pallet Town. Misty and I will finish up here._

By your command, Chosen One, Sabrina said, signing off. As far as Ash could tell, there was no irony in her telepathic voice at all.

[Ash,] Raichu suddenly squeaked in his Trainer's ear over the roar of the slipstream. Ash turned to look his best friend in the face. [Nightflight says that all the Rockets are evacuating. He will tell us when they are all in the upper level of the building.]

Ash nodded and stroked Raichu's cheek in a gesture of thanks. He turned to look at Misty and waved his arm to get her attention. Then he tapped in a text message on his mobile 'phone: "**std by – attk immed on cue :**"Ash pressed the 'send' button.

Misty waved in reply to indicate she had received and understood the message. As Ash watched, Misty released her Xatu, who immediately took wing in formation with Dragonite. Suddenly, Nightflight darted towards his new Trainer. [Ash! They are all in the upper level now!]

"Right!" Ash said. "Okay, Charizard, use Firestorm!" Charizard, with a roar, unleashed a massive fire attack that slammed into the building two floors below its' upper level, causing the window panes to explode and flames to boil out of every window. Ash had planned this second fire to keep the Rockets trapped on the upper floor. However, he had to move fast before they did something stupid in an attempt to either escape or self-destruct.

Ash swallowed nervously as he prepared for his next move. He pulled out an all-black Pokéball with a blue equatorial bar and pressed the 'release' button. "Unown, I choose you!" he shouted. There was a flash and suddenly, twenty-six letter-shaped Pokémon were flashing around Ash, Raichu and Charizard in a strange interlocking pattern. "Unown, use Quicken," Ash commanded, pointing at the hotel.

[At once, my Trainer,] Unown groaned in their strange voices.

The cluster of glyphs stopped their eternal rotation and the 'Q' glyph went into a hover directly in front of Ash. The legendary Pokémon began to glow with unimaginable power and unleashed a silver-white energy beam that flashed towards the hotel and _tore_ the roof off. The concrete, brick and metal were instantly reduced to gravel and powder that exploded out in every direction. Ash could see about three hundred Team Rocket agents, fighters and technicians looking around them in surprise and fear, standing in what used to be the thirtieth floor, and was now the roof.

Ash had to move fast, but what he was preparing to do terrified him a little. One of the least-well-known abilities of the Unown Alphabet was also its' most terrifying and the one most open to horrible consequences if misused. A Trainer of a complete Unown Alphabet could use the twenty-six Pokémon's combined powers to create small-scale alterations to the fabric of reality itself.

Molly Hale out in Johto inadvertently used this ability several times and this nearly cost Ash, Misty, Jessie and James their lives. Hell it _created_ a clone of a legendary dog! Ash himself had only used this ability three times, and it still frightened him. Ash concentrated and began to imagine a new shape to the world. A world where the hundreds of terrified terrorists before him no longer had a suicide device implanted in one of their back teeth. A world where, no matter how hard they tried, they could not injure themselves without doing something pretty drastic… 

Okay, it wasn't much of a change, but Ash would never try anything more large scale than wishing something small and local like this. He knew full well that the more one tried to change the shape of reality, the more likely it was that it would not end up in a shape you wanted…

The twenty-six Unown began to glow with unearthly power and Ash felt something move within himself as something began to alter the shape of the universe itself…

***

MJ looked around at the suddenly open area around her in panic. In a moment of blinding clarity, she suddenly realised that this was it. They had no way to fight back any more. Even if Ketchum didn't try to capture them, the Security Police would. The standing orders to all agents and support personnel in this situation were most clear. MJ was only 36 and had no desire to die… but she was also loyal to The Boss.

MJ spared a moment to look at Ketchum (for it could only be he who was flying that Charizard). She noticed that the dragon-type was surrounded by what looked like twenty-six shooting stars, which were orbiting it in an interlocking pattern. As she watched the 'stars' grew brighter and brighter until they turned into a flash of silver-white light, which turned into something like a ripple in the fabric of the universe.

The ripple raced out in every direction and flashed over MJ and her remaining troops. She refused to be distracted and bit down on her hollow tooth… only to find it was not there. Additionally, and this really distressed MJ, the floor under her feet had suddenly turned into a tangle of vines that made it impossible for her to move. Even if she were the sort of person to try to jump off the building, she wouldn't be able to do so now.

***

Ash blinked and looked around him, making sure that the sky was still blue, the sun was still in the sky and there weren't dinosaurs or something worse walking the earth below him. He was reassured. At first glance, nothing had changed. However, the Rockets, all though far more panicked than before, were still all standing. No one had fallen in death, and no-one had tried to jump. It had worked. "W… well done, Unown," he said, feeling quite intimidated. Somehow using this power always chilled his heart. 'Absolute power corrupts absolutely,' was a profound truth that his mother had taught him. The one sure way to avoid corruption was not to use the power that corrupts. "Unown, return," he said, recalling the legendary Pokémon to their ball.

Ash watched as Misty pointed both fingers at the building and the snared Rockets. Xatu darted forward and released a Sleep Wave attack, putting all the Rockets into a peaceful slumber. Misty waved at her flying psychic-type gleefully in congratulations. Moments later, Dragonite used her Water Gun attack to extinguish the fires blazing in the hotel, which had all served their purpose.

Ash sighed and felt a dreadful exhaustion. He typed in another text message to Misty: "**home and bed** **:**" 

The two dragons turned to the west, heading for Pallet Town. Below him, Ash could see police and fire vehicles pulling up to the building. Used to avoiding detection, Ash and Misty ordered their mounts down to tree-top level.

Suddenly, Ash saw something that made him smile. He waved to Misty and pointed downwards. Although Ash couldn't see her face clearly, he could imagine her rolling her eyes at this particular boyish whim.

***

At the edge of the Ilex Forest, two White Rockets by the names of Vin and Chris were both watching the last few seconds of the rout of Vermilion Tower. "What was that white flash?" Chris asked her partner. "Mr. Mime nearly went crazy when it happened." Chris was stroking her trembling psychic-type's head, trying to calm him down. He had broken out of his Pokéball when the flash illuminated Vermilion City and had started yelling crazily in a way that made both Rockets wish they understood his language.

"I don't know," Vin said, looking through his binoculars at the distant tower. "Whatever happened, though, it didn't affect us directly."

Chris tried to be reassured, but it didn't do much good. "What's happening now?" she asked.

"The Security Police have whistled up a few blimps and are pulling everyone off of the tower's roof," he said. "And Chris, it doesn't look like they're moving corpses."

Chris swallowed. "Great," she said. "The Boss is going to love hearing that yet more Rockets have been taken alive. Why do we have to tell him this?" Vin shrugged. Suddenly someone cleared their throat and the two Rockets span, staring in panic.

Behind them stood a tall, heavily-built black-haired man and a slightly shorter ginger-haired woman. The man had a Raichu riding on his back, and the woman had a Togetic fluttering at her side. Behind them, a Dragonite and a Charizard glared at the Rockets dangerously. Chris and Vin recognised the two Trainers immediately of course. After all, their faces were only on 'wanted' posters in every Team Rocket base on Earth.

"A… Ash Ketchum and Misty Waterflower?" Chris blurted.

Vin fell to his hands and knees, his face pressed to the ground. "Don't hurt us, Mr. Ketchum," he wailed. "We didn't have anything to do with what happened to your hometown."

Ash sneered. "And that is supposed to help you _how_?" he asked. Misty rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the side. Ash grunted, disappointed that he wouldn't be able to make the two Rockets dangle. "Don't worry," he said, "I'm not going to hurt you. I want you to do me a favour."

"A… a favour?" Chris asked. Vin looked up, half-hoping that he might live.

Ash pulled out a DVD-R disk. The disk had the double-thunderbolt-through-a-circle Team Thunderbolt sigil printed on it, and the case was marked 'For the personal attention of Giovanni S. diRocketti.' "That's right," Ash said. "I want you to take this disk to your boss."

"Why… why should we do anything you… you say?" Chris asked suspiciously. Vin looked at her as if she were crazy and tried to mouth something to her. Chris ignored him and waited for the leader of Team Thunderbolt to reply.

"Because your boss will be very angry if he finds out you have hidden something from him," Ash explained. "Besides, if you don't take this disk to him, what reason do we have to let you go?"

There was a long pause before Chris realised that Ketchum had a point. "O… okay," she said taking the disk from Ketchum nervously.

"Don't forget now," Ash said, waggling his finger in reproof, "directly to your boss or I _will_ know. You don't want to get on my bad side, do you?" Both Rockets shook their head frantically. Misty was desperately trying to keep her professional façade and not start laughing. Raichu and Togetic weren't even bothering to try to hide their laughter.

As the two Rockets watched, their most deadly enemies climbed onto their dragons and flew away.

***

Aerodactyl flew over Pallet Town from the direction of Vermilion Bay and the old harbour. Delilah's eyes were filled with tears as she clearly saw the deep wounds her hometown had suffered for the first time. The old harbour was still in ruins and she could clearly see the massive damage the commercial district had suffered.

Yet, there was reason for hope. For there was not one wrecked building that did not show the signs of recent rebuilding and the streets were filled with people moving about and working on bringing their hometown back to life. Massive construction machines were sitting all around the commercial and harbour districts, demolishing ruined buildings and building gleaming new towers in their place. Pallet Town was coming to life.

Tears ran down Delilah's cheeks and were caught away by the slipstream. Tears of joy now, instead of tears of pain. Delilah let go of Joy's belt with one hand so she could touch Sam's hands, which were wrapped around her waist. "He hasn't won, Sam," she shouted over her shoulder. "He'll _never_ win. Not as long as people are willing to rebuild like this." She wasn't sure how much he heard, but he squeezed her tightly, making her feel good.

Aerodactyl landed in front of Delilah and Ash's house. The street was filled with the sounds of construction work. Delilah slid off of Aerodactyl's back and started crying again when she saw her house restored to some kind of order. The windows were all repaired, the door was back in place and her garden, and her beloved garden had been replanted. "Did… did Ash do this?" she asked hoarsely.

"Yeah," Brock confirmed with a broad smile. "When he wasn't working on getting you three out of captivity, he and Misty were here, trying to put this place back together. I think they did a pretty good job."

Delilah couldn't stand up any more and fell to her knees. She was feeling a terrible confusion of pain, pride, loss, triumph, hope and fear. Sam Oak knelt beside her and hugged her gently as she covered her face and let the tears freely stream down her face.

Joy watched the two of them with an unreadable expression. "Uh… Joy," Brock said. She turned from her consideration of her two former cellmates and looked at the man who was once the boy she loved. "I… I'm glad we got you out of there," Brock continued.

Joy managed a slight laugh. "You can't be as glad as I am," she said ruefully.

"No, I'm far more glad than you imagine," Brock said. He stepped forward and stopped just outside of reach of his former lover. "Joy, I told myself that it was over and that I only felt friendship for you… But that was a lie." Brock sucked in a deep breath and wiped his face nervously. "The truth is that, from the moment you were taken, I was on the edge of madness. I… I couldn't stop thinking about you and what was happening to you… I couldn't stop thinking that you might die when I never told you."

"T… told me what?" Joy asked, going pale.

"Joy, I still love you," Brock said. "I don't think I ever stopped. I… I can't live without you and I don't even want to try."

Joy gasped and several contradictory notions collided in her head. Her first impulse was to laugh in Brock's face and run as far and as fast as she could. Her next impulse was to lie and try to drive him away. However, she wasn't a good liar, and she never was. "Brock," she said, her voice filled with pain and hope, "how… how can you love me after what I did to you?"

"I don't care about that," Brock growled. "I don't care about the mistakes I made and you made a decade ago. I only care that _I love you_ and I want to be a part of your life… if you will let me." Joy suddenly burst into tears and covered her face. She began to blindly back away from Brock until she hit the kerb and fell on her behind. "Joy! Joy, why are you crying? What have I done wrong?" Brock said, sounding very distressed. He ran over and dropped to his knees at his one-time lover's side.

By now, the confrontation had drawn Delilah and Professor Oak's attention. Oak opened his mouth to say something, but Delilah slapped her hand over his mouth before he could say a word. He looked at her in surprise and saw her shake her head.

"Oh Brock, I… I never hoped…" Joy sobbed. "I… I never thought for a second you could feel anything for me any more… I… I never stopped loving you… and I missed you so much when I was in that damn little cell… I… I need you so badly…" Joy gasped in a breath around her sobs and looked up into Brock's amber eyes. "But… can we dare…?"

"I would dare anything for you," Brock replied simply and honestly. "Joy, I want you back so badly. You're the hole in my heart I've spent a decade humiliating myself trying to fill. Now I see that the cure was right back at the start of the path, not at the end at all."

Brock and Joy did not break eye contact for one moment. "I need you, Brock," Joy said quietly.

"I need you too," Brock replied. "I love you, Joy. You are the one true 'Joy' of my life, if you get the pun."

Joy started laughing around her tears. "Oh, you," she scolded, thumping him on the arm. She smiled then, the kindest, most blisteringly passionate and loving smile that Brock had ever seen. "I love you Brock," she said. "If you will take me, I will gladly come."

"You would make my dreams come true if you did," Brock said, tears beginning to fall from his eyes. Joy suddenly launched herself into his arms and Brock held her tightly. Then they separated just enough to manoeuvre their faces to claim a kiss that they had both waited so very long to claim.

While the two of them were still kissing hard, Ash and Misty dropped out of the skies on Charizard's and Dragonite's backs. The two of them stepped forward to stare at the two reunited lovers. "Wow," Ash surmised. "I guessed that they still loved each other but…" Ash shook his head and ran his hand through his hair, looking very surprised.

Misty was smiling in a slightly silly way. "All they needed to do was admit it to themselves," she said quietly. "A familiar tale, isn't it Ashy-boy?" Ash grinned at her in a fatuous way.

Joy looked up and blushed. Brock released her and the two of them stared around at their friends. "Uh… gee… this… well…" Brock stammered, blushing brightly and running a hand through his hair.

Joy laughed, the happiest sound the others had ever heard her make. For Brock, it brought back good memories. "I can wait," Joy whispered to Brock. "I have waited this long, a few more hours can't kill us."

Raichu skipped forward and watched the scene. Brock and Joy had started kissing again. Ash and Misty were looking at each other in that way that always made Raichu feel that he was intruding on something unique and wonderful. Even Delilah was standing closer to Professor Oak than usual and was leaning into his hug in appreciation.

[Must be mating season for humans,] Raichu remarked.

[I think it is _always_ mating season for humans,] Charizard replied with a roll of his eyes.

***

Black Island: The headquarters building of Team Rocket.

All the staff in the Major Missions Room were shocked and horrified when The Boss walked into the room, his expression unreadable. In the last 18 years, only the oldest veterans could claim to have seen the last time that the Boss had been outside his inner offices and among his troops. Something must be happening. Something big.

"Mondo," Giovanni said, "what is the status of Vermilion Tower?"

Old Mondo, who had been standing at the main Situation Display Table, turned to face his leader. "Our field agents are all reporting in, sir," Mondo replied calmly. "They all confirm that the base has been taken. Our estimates show that between five hundred and a thousand members of the organisation have been taken prisoner."

"And our prisoners?" Giovanni asked, his voice deceptively calm.

Mondo swallowed and looked around, seeking something to distract Giovanni's wrath from his own head. "Um… er… our… our intelligence indicates that they were… freed, sir. By now, I suspect they will be in Pallet Town."

Giovanni nodded, his whole posture tense, but his expression almost deathly in its expressionlessness. "I understand that we have something from one of the Field Teams," Giovanni said.

"Yes sir," Mondo said. "Two members of Team Thunderbolt approached Team White Eta and gave them this DVD-R disc." Mondo held up the disc. "Our electronic warfare people have confirmed it is a simple MP3 audio file. There is nothing on it that could be used as any kind of weapon."

Giovanni nodded. "Play it," he commanded. Mondo looked around nervously. He didn't think it was entirely safe to do so around so many fighters and technicians. "Play it _now_!" Giovanni snapped.

Mondo swallowed nervously. He walked over to a console and placed the disk in a DVD player he had connected up the chamber's sound system. He pressed the 'play' button. Instantly, a familiar voice began to echo around the chamber. Ash Ketchum.

"_Greetings Team Rocket,_" Ketchum said, his tone mocking. "_And especially greetings to you, father. By now, of course, you would have learned of my friends and my… handiwork in Vermilion City. I hope that this has demonstrated to you all the utter futility of your attempts to defeat me_."

Giovanni went bright red in fury. The boy was using almost his exact words in the message that Giovanni had left for him after the destruction of Pallet Town. The boy was _mocking _him! Perhaps only Mondo saw The Boss's hands clench into fists.

"_You will know by now that Delilah Ketchum is free_," Ash's voice continued, "_as are Joy Burke and Professor Samuel Oak. They are out of your power, father, and you will never threaten them again. If you choose to take other hostages and threaten _them_, then Team Thunderbolt will free them too._" Ash sighed and Mondo could visualise tiredness on the boy's face. "_If you learn any lesson from this, it is that you cannot win, and that you will _not_ win. If you want to prevent any more suffering on the part of more of your followers, most of whom I assume joined you in good faith, then you and your inner circle will present yourselves, alone and unarmed, at the Viridian Security Police Headquarters tomorrow morning. There you will surrender to the authorities and confess to your crimes._" There was a pause. "_Of course, I don't expect you to do that. _

"_I am going to bring you down, father,_" Ash said, his voice harsh and unyielding. "_I will make it my business to see that you pay for your crimes against humanity, against the Pokémon, most importantly against your family… and especially for the murder of my _twin sister_. Whether you experience a minimum or maximum of agony in my achieving that goal is entirely your business. This is Team Thunderbolt… signing off._"

There was a long silence in the chamber after Ash's voice ceased echoing around it. Suddenly, with a single violent motion, Giovanni lashed out and swept the DVD player from its place and sent it crashing to the floor, shattering it and the disc that carried his son's voice. "I HAVE BEEN _BETRAYED_!" Giovanni screamed at the top of his voice. "BY ALL OF YOU!"His eyes wild and unseeing, Giovanni gestured around at the dumbfounded and terrified Rockets in the room. "JUST AS I FORESAW IT! _AND EVERY MAN'S HAND WAS AGAINST ME!_"

There was a long, terrified pause before Old Mondo spoke, his voice completely calm and level. "You can still fight and win," he said.

Giovanni, who was bent double and breathing hard, looked up at his oldest and most trusted lieutenant. "Then I choose to fight," he growled, "and win."

Mondo nodded, pleased to hear that. He touched the Situation Display Table and called up a map of Kanto. With a few swift keystrokes, he highlighted Pallet Town. "Your son is currently in Pallet Town with all his allies. If we strike _now_ we can catch him off-balance while he is still trying to…"

Giovanni blurred across the room, lifted a chair and smashed it into the table, crushing a five-million-dollar display instantly. There was a bang and a shower of sparks. Giovanni then struck Mondo a hard blow to the face. The other man went down hard. "You fool!" Giovanni shouted. "Can't you see? Can _none_ of you _see_?" He looked around wildly at the terrified Black Rockets and technicians. "That _boy_ is nothing! NOTHING save what _I_ allow him to be!"

No one answered. Giovanni, his face pale, his eyes staring, suddenly turned and strode from the room. Mondo slowly, painfully, pulled himself from the floor. None of the others in the room dared move to help him. 

Mondo Jones, once Charlie Mason, looked at the smashed display for a moment, and then looked around the silent, fearful faces, trying to decide what he should do next. Try as he might, all he could hear was Delilah Ketchum's words during their recent meeting, echoing in his head over and over again. '_Charlie, you love Joe very much, I know that, but you must see that he has gone mad… gone mad… gone mad… gone mad… gone mad…_'

Mondo shook his had again. When he spoke, it was the very last words he ever expected to utter in this room. "All of you…" he croaked, what had happened to his voice? "All of you make whatever preparations you feel best for yourselves."

__

To be continued…


	2. The Eye of the Storm

**__**

Pokémon

Avenger – By BenRG

****

Legal Disclaimer

Pokémon, the Pocket Monsters and their human friends and enemies are all the sole copyright and trademark property of Nintendo Entertainment and 4 Kids Productions. No breach of any copyright or legal property is intended.

****

Author's Notes

This is the last part of my first _Pokémon_ fic. As sad as it is, after all this time I _still_ don't know all the monsters or all the moves. I base my story purely on what I've seen of the cartoon and absorbed from other fan works. I thank all the other Pokémon writers on this board for providing plenty of inspiration. Special thanks to Charles "RocketBoy" Reilly, Wind, Joshua Falken, Chuchino and Catalina Storm for their comments, advice and encouragement.

Just to warn you, this won't be an action-packed chapter. I have some character issues that I have to deal with and I am going to deal with them here.

Another warning: A bit angst-filled and depressing in places. Sorry.

Text in [squared-off brackets] indicates the translation of a Pokémon's language into English.

Text in _italics_ but not in quotes indicates thoughts.

Text in "_quotes and italics_" is speech from a speaker, telephone or some other electronic means

Text in **Bold Text** is an email sent by a mobile 'phone.

****

This is an Alternate Universe story

Ages: Ash is 17 and Misty has just turned 19; Brock is 25; Jessie and James are both 24; Richie is 17; Duplicia is 18; Sabrina is 24; Lance is 16; Joy is 29; Delilah is 38; Professor Oak is 47; Gary is 18.

****

Censor: R (Equivalent to UK '15' Certificate)

Content Warning: Swearing, explicit violence, description of injuries, implied sexual activity and mature topics.

****

Book 3 – The Return of the Crusaders

__

What has gone before…

It is the mid-twenty-first century, and in the land of Kanto, a war has begun. The heroic young Pokémon trainers known as Team Thunderbolt are waging a terrible struggle against the evil world-wide terrorist organisation Team Rocket. Leading these young heroes is Ash Ketchum, one of the greatest Pokémon trainers ever to have lived. Leading Team Rocket is the insane Giovanni diRocketti, the man once known as Joseph Oak, Ash's father.

Having beaten the most recent attempt by his father to defeat him, Ash and his friends have returned to Pallet Town, itself only just beginning to recover after a terrible assault by Team Rocket. Now, as they try to recover from their most recent adventures, they must also count the cost of their latest victory and decide what, if anything, they should do next…

***

Brock's Aerodactyl landed in front of Delilah and Ash's house. The street was filled with the sounds of construction work. Delilah slid off of Aerodactyl's back and started crying again when she saw her house restored to some kind of order. The windows were all repaired, the door was back in place and her garden, and her beloved garden had been replanted. "Did… did Ash do this?" she asked hoarsely.

"Yeah," Brock confirmed with a broad smile. "When he wasn't working on getting you three out of captivity, he and Misty were here, trying to put this place back together. I think they did a pretty good job."

Delilah couldn't stand up any more and fell to her knees. She was feeling a terrible confusion of pain, pride, loss, triumph, hope and fear. Sam Oak knelt beside her and hugged her gently as she covered her face and let the tears freely stream down her face.

Joy watched the two of them with an unreadable expression. "Uh… Joy," Brock said. She turned from her consideration of her two former cellmates and looked at the man who was once the boy she loved. "I… I'm glad we got you out of there," Brock continued.

Joy managed a slight laugh. "You can't be as glad as I am," she said ruefully.

"No, I'm far more glad than you imagine," Brock said. He stepped forward and stopped just outside of reach of his former lover. "Joy, I told myself that it was over and that I only felt friendship for you… But that was a lie." Brock sucked in a deep breath and wiped his face nervously. "The truth is that, from the moment you were taken, I was on the edge of madness. I… I couldn't stop thinking about you and what was happening to you… I couldn't stop thinking that you might die when I never told you."

"T… told me what?" Joy asked, going pale.

"Joy, I still love you," Brock said. "I don't think I ever stopped. I… I can't live without you and I don't even want to try."

Joy gasped and several contradictory notions collided in her head. Her first impulse was to laugh in Brock's face and run as far and as fast as she could. Her next impulse was to lie and try to drive him away. However, she wasn't a good liar, and she never was. "Brock," she said, her voice filled with pain and hope, "how… how can you love me after what I did to you?"

"I don't care about that," Brock growled. "I don't care about the mistakes I made and you made a decade ago. I only care that _I love you_ and I want to be a part of your life… if you will let me." Joy suddenly burst into tears and covered her face. Brock dropped to his knees at her side and Joy suddenly launched herself into his arms. Brock held her tightly, then they separated just enough to manoeuvre their faces to claim a kiss that they had both waited so very long to claim.

While the two of them were still kissing hard, Ash and Misty dropped out of the skies on Charizard's and Dragonite's backs. The two of them stepped forward to stare at the two reunited lovers. "Wow," Ash surmised. "I guessed that they still loved each other but…" Ash shook his head and ran his hand through his hair, looking very surprised.

Misty was smiling in a slightly silly way. "All they needed to do was admit it to themselves," she said quietly. "A familiar tale, isn't it Ashy-boy." Ash grinned at her in a fatuous way.

Joy looked up and blushed. Brock released her and the two of them stared around at their friends. "Uh… gee… this… well…" Brock stammered, blushing brightly and running a hand through his hair.

Joy laughed, the happiest sound the others had ever heard her make. For Brock, it brought back good memories. "I can wait," Joy whispered to Brock. "I have waited this long, a few more hours can't kill us."

Raichu skipped forward and watched the scene. Brock and Joy had started kissing again. Ash and Misty were looking at each other in that way that always made Raichu feel that he was intruding on something unique and wonderful. Even Delilah was standing closer to Professor Oak than usual and was leaning into his hug in appreciation.

[Must be mating season for humans,] Raichu remarked.

[I think it is _always_ mating season for humans,] Charizard replied with a roll of his eyes.

__

And now the continuation…

****

Chapter 2 – The Eye of the Storm

The memorial was simple, which was understandable given the haste in which it was erected and the fact that those behind it needed to concentrate their efforts on more immediate and critical priorities. Yet, in its' simplicity, it was appropriate for one whose existence had always been defined first and foremost by humility, loyalty and love. The simple wooden cross in the Ketchum house's back garden had a hastily-etched bronze plaque on it marked with a single name: 'Mimey.'

Gently and lovingly, Delilah placed a single yellow rose at the foot of the cross. "Goodbye, old friend," she whispered. She closed her eyes and said two short prayers, one to the Humans' God and one to The First Mew, the legendary Psychic-type that was said to watch over all the Pokémon.

She opened her eyes again and stood up to look at the two other people in the back garden, Ash Ketchum, her son, and Misty Waterflower, the girl… no, a woman now… who was the daughter she was fated never to bear herself. "Thank you for taking the time to do this," she said to Ash. "I know it couldn't have been easy with everything else you had to do at the time."

Ash shrugged uneasily. "Well… It seemed appropriate," he said in a quiet and embarrassed tone. "I mean… people do the same for pet cats and dogs. Mimey was more than a pet, he was a _friend_." Ash's face twitched up in a smile at some memory. "I learnt more about life from that little Psychic-type than I care to admit!"

Delilah nodded and smiled sadly, thinking of how lonely the house would be without the perpetually cheerful Pokémon there to help her out.

"As long as you remember him, he'll never _really_ be dead," Misty said into the silence.

Delilah's smile jacked up a few notches. "I know that, dear," she said.

Delilah took a moment to look at the two young people. Ash and Misty had changed so much over the seven and a half years since her son began his journey. 

Ash was now over six feet tall (having finally overtaken Misty shortly after his fifteenth birthday) and had developed a powerful, muscular build that reminded Delilah of her own father. His cheerful chocolate brown eyes peered out from under a perpetually untidy thatch of coal-black hair, which he had grown slightly longer than he did as a child. He had long since discarded most of his childish clothing habits and had begun to dress like an adult. His eyes still reflected his youthful humour and determination, but gone was the innocence and optimism, replaced by the harsh certainty of one fighting a holy war. It worried Delilah most of all that, since Ash had embarked on his quest to defeat Team Rocket, the primary motif of his wardrobe had become black. Black cotton shirt, black jeans and a black leather duster. 

Misty had changed too. Gone was the tomboy who seemed to revel in not looking even remotely feminine. Now she was almost exactly on the six-foot mark and had developed a very feminine figure with the build of a dancer. She had grown her ginger hair a lot longer and it was currently tied back in a waist-length ponytail. Her cerulean green eyes shone with vitality and strength that served as a warning for anyone who thought that, as a woman, she was vulnerable. She was currently wearing a white blouse, a pair of jeans and a denim jacket.

Yes, neither of them were children anymore. Given the dark business that currently absorbed their time, it was appropriate that they should have become more adult. However, Delilah would always feel guilty about being party to stealing away the last of their innocence so quickly. Delilah noticed the way the two of them were leaning into each other's presence and smiled slightly. Yes, it was a shame they had to grow up so quickly and so traumatically, but at least they were experiencing the good side of adulthood as well as its' pains and responsibilities.

"So, are you two going to be home in time for dinner tonight?" Delilah asked.

Ash and Misty started laughing. After all the trials and troubles of the past six months, the incredibly… _mundane_ nature of Delilah's question caught them by surprise and was a tremendous relief. "Yeah, Mom," Ash said with a grin, "we'll be back. You just be careful around the place until then, we haven't finished sanding off all the rough edges."

***

Professor Samuel Oak stood apart from his two companions, looking at the ruins of the Research Centre where he had spent the last fifteen years of his life. "Years of research," he said to no one in particular. "Samples, experimental results, decade-long observation studies. Everything gone." 

The old man sagged as he looked around. The dead Pokémon had found decent burial (or at least hygienic disposal). The UN-funded clean-up crews had tidied away the worst of the debris and, after Ash had spoken to the UNHCR commissioner in town, a one-room house-trailer had been delivered by helicopter so the Professor would at least have a roof over his head. However, the skeletal remains of the buildings hung over the site like a depressing monument to everything that he had lost.

"At least you still have your life," Jessie Scarlet finally said into the silence.

"Yeah!" Meowth said. "Youse can rebuild! Meowth! Youse just get ya pals to steal ya some Pokémon, and youse'll be on ya feet in no time!"

"Meowth," James Weston hissed. The feline-like Pokémon looked up and saw his tall human friend make a 'zip it' gesture.

Oak managed a slight laugh. "Don't worry, Mr. Weston," he said. "Your Meowth is right about rebuilding, although I don't plan on starting to _steal_ Pokémon. That is my brother's speciality… as you well know." Yes, they knew that only too well. After all, they had once been thieves in the employ of Joseph Oak, now known as Giovanni diRocketti. Professor Oak never knew why Ash trusted these two and allowed them to join his 'Team Thunderbolt.' He respected the boy too much to openly criticise the decision, but he still did not feel comfortable around two people and a Pokémon who once wore his brother's sigil. "Anyway, I should thank you and Ms. Scarlet for helping me get settled into my… er… hut."

"No problem," Jessie said, trying to sound honest and reassuring. She could feel the distrust whenever she was around the Professor, and it upset her. "Both of us know what it is like to lose… well, everything, really. At times like that, having friends who will help is the best gift you can have."

"Friends… yes…" Oak replied. He was thinking of Ash, Misty and Delilah… especially Delilah. He wondered how she was coping. "Anyway, I am sorry I can't make you any more welcome than I am right now."

"That's okay," James said.

"Yes," Jessie agreed, "we both are used to making do with little or nothing."

"Hmm…?" Oak was surprised.

"Meowth! Da Boss don't pay very well ya know," Meowth said with a mischievous grin. "We had ta rough it a lot when we was chasing Ash and his pals!"

"And before that, we both pretty much lived rough," James added, kicking Meowth in a reminder to stop mentioning their time with Team Rocket. "Jessie is pretty much and orphan and so am I now… but back then I didn't really want anything to do with my family."

"Really, Mr. Weston?" Oak asked. "From the way you and she conducted yourselves, I always imagined you were quite… er… wealthy." Simply put, they both acted like members of the aristocracy. To hear that they came from a destitute background was a surprise.

"Oh no," Jessie said. "Quite the opposite. In a way, Ash and Team Thunderbolt are the closest thing to a real home and family we've ever had. Team Rocket was always too harsh and obsessed with treachery for that." James nodded in agreement. "I joined Team Rocket because of my late mother being a member before me and _James_ joined because of me," Jessie continued. James had to chuckle when he heard that truth. "Both of us ultimately regretted that decision. So, please, don't think of us as enemies who have changed allegiances," Jessie continued. "Think of us as… lost souls who are trying to find redemption." James looked impressed at hearing Jessie express such a deep concept.

Oak smiled gently. "I will try," he said. _Although it is very difficult, madam_, he added silently. _I can't forget that you tried to steal from me more than once._

There was an awkward pause before James suddenly spoke up. "Jessie, we promised to help Richie and Brock with repairing the North Bridge over the river today." There was so much rebuilding to be done, and those who could bring a few well-trained Pokémon to the aid of the townspeople were more than welcome.

Jessie nodded. "You go ahead, James," she said. "I… er… have to talk to the Professor about something." James looked surprised, but he had learnt to trust Jessie a long time ago. He released Growly and helped Meowth join him on the Arcanine's back. With a roar, the big horse-sized fire wolf raced off towards the town leaving Jessie and Professor Oak alone together.

"Er… so… er… what can I do for you Ms. Scarlet?" Oak asked nervously, remembering the woman's reputation and wondering if he had seriously offended her.

Jessie's normally composed face was suddenly filled with such a torment that he instinctively moved to touch her in reassurance. She managed a slight smile and touched his shoulder in thanks. "Professor," she said. "After you and the others were kidnapped, Giovanni left a message in which he claimed to be… my father." 

Oak could tell how much that possibility frightened her. How typical of his brother to try and torture his enemies like that. He opened his mouth to say something to reassure the woman, but she was talking again. 

"I have to know the truth," Jessie continued. "All my life, I've idolised the memory of my mother, and now I realise that I might know even less than I thought. Ash told me that you were a member of the original Team Rocket, so you should know. Tell me… who was Miyamoto Scarlet…? And what happened to her?"

Oak jumped. "Miyamoto Scarlet?" He stepped forward and grabbed Jessie by the arms, startling her. "Your mother's name was Marion Miyamoto Scarlet?"

"Y… yes…" Jessie said, surprised and afraid of the burning fire that suddenly appeared in Oak's eyes.

"My God… so you are alive after all…" he said. He stepped away and had to try and regain control of his emotions.

"Professor… what is it?" Jessie asked.

"Ms. Scarlet… Jessica, dear, you should sit down," Oak replied. "I have a story to tell you. It isn't a nice tale, nor is the ending a happy one, but you _must_ know the truth." Jessie, feeling more than a little shocked and intimidated, stood back. Oak drew in a breath. "Your name is Jessica Musashi Scarlet," he said. "How stupid of me not to realise before, but I genuinely believed that you were dead, and hearing of someone with that name simply did not catch my attention." Oak stepped forward and touched Jessie's face gently, raising her chin with a finger. "Yet you are her living image. I ought to have recognised you at once. I am a old, blind fool." Oak sighed. "Your mother's name was Marion Miyamoto Scarlet, and, yes, your father's name was Joseph Jonathan Oak, my brother."

***

Joy Burke felt rather embarrassed, wearing her skimpy pink-and-white League Nurse uniform again for the first time in a month. However, she was wearing her 'medical official' hat right now, as she needed access to the refugee camp's hospital to perform the task that her leader had requested from her.

"So, Doc, will I ever play the harmonica again?" Ash asked. Joy looked at him and blushed. Brock was the man for her, but she could see what attracted Misty to the young man. He was… distractingly masculine. Especially when he was lying on an examination table, wearing nothing but an antiseptic-green hospital gown and his silly self-confident grin.

"Well, there is good news and bad, Ash," she said quietly, setting her PDA to collate and organise the data from the comprehensive examination she had just given the boy. His story had horrified her and had confirmed her impression that Team Rocket was the ultimate expression of evil in this world. Strange to realise that men were as vulnerable to the ultimate violation of body and soul as women were. "You were right to come to me about this."

Ash's expression hardened. "I would like Misty in here too," he announced. "She has as much a right to hear this as I do."

Joy stuck her head through the tent flap and called Misty in. When the young water-type specialist had joined her mate and grabbed his hand tightly in her own, Joy looked at them both, trying to think how to present her findings in the best possible way. It was a skill all doctors and nurses knew, but one that they all uniformly hated exercising. "Firstly," she began, "you will be glad to know that you have suffered no lasting injuries from your… torture," Joy said, shuddering a little at the last word. "You were right to start on bland foodstuffs when you were freed, so your digestive system has recovered from the starvation and dehydration. There is no indication of any lasting trauma from the sonic and electric tortures. The psychological tests are normal… well, normal for someone living in a war zone."

Misty smiled and kissed Ash on the side of the face, making him and her blush momentarily. "See, I told you there was nothing to worry about," Misty said quietly, making Ash relax slightly. Joy smiled as she recalled how Brock and her used to react to each other when they first met. Then she sobered, realising the hardest part was yet to come.

"However, the… _rape_… is another matter," Joy said quietly. 

Misty shivered, hating a reminder of Ash's worst torment at Team Rocket's hands, one that nearly broke him. "He… that Team Rocket bitch hasn't given him HIV-8 has she?" she asked, sounding terrified. She had reason to be. Joy knew perfectly well that Ash and Misty were lovers and were relying purely on their League-issued FII implants for contraception, not enough to protect Misty from catching a sexually transmitted disease.

Joy was quick to reassure the girl. "No, Misty, there is no indication of any STD in Ash's blood tests. No, it is something else." Joy paused again. "While most of the injuries Cassidy inflicted have healed up with little or no trouble, or even very much scarring, there is some indication that…" she sighed. "Ash, the pain you felt while having sex was caused by a swelling of your Prostate Gland. You seem to have developed a minor infection of the gland as a result of the lacerations that woman inflicted on you. While there is no serious damage, the tests indicate that it is not working properly anymore."

Ash's hand closed tightly around Misty's and she drew closer to him, trying to reassure him. "What does it mean, Joy?" he asked, his voice level and neutral.

"Possibly nothing," Joy said. "The infection has subsided and your body is otherwise in good shape. You tell me that the pain has faded away?" Ash nodded. "Well, there is no reason why you and Misty cannot enjoy normal relations. However… Ash, you know what the gland does. Because of the infection, it has begun to malfunction and this may prevent your sperm from being released during sex. You should be aware that you may now be functionally sterile."

Ash was quiet for a long moment, his wide, good-natured face pale. Misty had begun to cry silently. Ash pulled his lover closer and hugged her. "Thanks for telling me the truth, Joy," he said calmly.

Joy felt a need to explain the bright side. "On the other hand, it might not be that way," she said hurriedly. "Even if it is, there is no reason why you can't use _in vitro_ treatment to conceive children, as you are still _producing_ sperm…"

"Okay, Joy," Ash said with a slight laugh. "Calm down. We weren't planning on having babies _just_ yet anyway." Ash paused and shot Misty a worried look before he continued. "Is there any way to be certain?"

Joy shook her head. "Not without a lengthy series of very unpleasant tests of your sperm count during ejaculation," she said. "Even then, the results would only provide a statistical likelihood, not an actual definitive answer."

Ash grimaced. "That doesn't sound like the sort of thing I would be interested in spending time on anyway," he said ruefully. Misty nodded at him, managing a very shaky smile. "Look… uh… Joy, can we have a few moments…?"

Joy nodded and turned to leave. The two of them needed to be alone together right now.

***

Lance watched in awe as Sabrina mediated, and was thankful that she was feeling better now. 

When they first arrived in Pallet Town, shortly after the Team Rocket assault, the blonde psychic had been suffering pretty badly. Large urban communities tended to develop a mass 'super-consciousness' from the minds and lives continually interacting in the same area. Sabrina had described it as being as if the town or city were alive and aware, based on the massed feelings and perceptions of its' inhabitants. When Pallet Town was assaulted so awfully and so many of its people were killed, violated or had lost everything, the massed mind shattered into a howling psychic agony. Sabrina described _that_ as being as if the streets and buildings themselves were bleeding and continually screaming in her ears.

However, as the town was rebuilt and hope returned to the area, the aura had become calmer and less inflamed with pain and sorrow. Sabrina was now feeling much better and, for the first time in several weeks, she felt able to do her exercises. Lance was watching now as she sat in the lotus position, her face calm and relaxed. Lance's head itched and the air felt cold as she began to stack small stones telekinetically.

Suddenly there was a bellow of surprise. Lance turned to see his Golem rising slowly off of the ground and do a slow somersault in mid-air.

There was a bright flash of light and Sabrina, her concentration broken, opened her eyes with a gasp. The rocks tumbled to the ground. Golem hit the turf with a loud, resonant 'thud.'

Lance turned to see a tall, thin brown-haired man wearing loose travelling clothes and pointing a state-of-the-art digital camera at them. "Oh!" the man said. "Sorry, Miss. I didn't mean to distract you, but you don't see a telekinetic exercising every day."

"Who are you, mister?" Lance asked suspiciously. He moved slightly in between his girlfriend and the photographer.

"Todd Marshall," the man said, sticking his hand out in a nervous but friendly gesture. "I'm a photojournalist for _Kanto Life_ magazine. I've come to do a piece on the death and rebirth of Pallet Town." 

"Really?" Lance asked. "Let's see your press card then." He wasn't taking any chances. Team Rocket would doubtless be trying to infiltrate the camp of their enemy, and who would question a simple photographer?

"What are you, some kind of cop?" Marshall asked suspiciously. "I'm not showing _my_ ID unless I see yours."

"You will show him your identification," Sabrina said, her voice strangely resonant.

"Here you go," Marshall said, passing his press card and his Citizen's ID to Lance. Lance looked at it. It _looked_ genuine. What is more, there was something familiar about this guy… He handed the card back to the photographer, who looked a bit dazed. "Wait a minute," he said. "Todd Marshall… You are from Valencia Island originally?" 

"Uh… yeah," the man replied. "How did you know?" 

"You're 'Snap!'" Lance said. "You travelled with Ash and Misty for a while!"

"Yeah!" Snap said. "Hey, you know them? They're all right? The whole region has been in an uproar looking for them after they didn't turn up for pre-season League training last year!"

"They're both fine," Lance said.

"Great, I can't wait to see them again," Snap said. "I'll bet they have plenty of tales to tell!"

"I'm sure they'll be glad to see you again too," Sabrina said. "I think they will be at Ash's house right now. Let me take you there." Lance shot Sabrina a strange look. _Give me some time alone with him_, she said silently. _There are portions of his mind that some third party has shielded. I want to try and find out why he is _really_ here before I let him near Ash and Misty_.

__

Be careful, love, Lance replied, making Sabrina smile.

"Uh… am I missing something here?" Snap asked. Instead of replying, Sabrina linked her arm through Snap's led the photographer off.

***

Jessie was sitting on a fallen log, stroking Arbok's head absently as Professor Oak spoke to her.

"Before you were born," he began, "before Team Rocket and long before my brother fell into darkness, there were three friends who were on a Pokémon Journey together. Their names were Joseph Oak, Miyamoto Scarlet and Charles Mason. Joe was a novice from Pewter City, Miya was a novice from Viridian City and Charlie was an apprentice Breeder from Fucia City. The three of them formed the closest friendship I had ever seen. They journeyed through Indigo, Orange, Johto and Green together. Never once did they part. They were like an extension of each other's souls. They trained together, fought together and met the world's challenges with a unity that I never saw again until I saw how Ash, Misty and Brock worked together.

"Now, you must remember that Joe and Miya were only ten when they started travelling together. All those years on the road together formed an amazingly close bond of friendship. Then came puberty and, inevitably I suppose, their relationship transformed and they became lovers." Oak smiled. "It was something to see, Jessica," he said. "Miyamoto and Joe were so incredibly in love. The passion burned from them and lit up the area around them."

"So… so it is true," Jessie said, shuddering slightly. "Giovanni _is_ my father."

"No," Oak said, raising a finger. "_Joseph Oak_ is your father. Giovanni diRocketti is a filthy, insane monster that has usurped his body and legacy for evil. Don't get them mixed up as they are most decidedly _not_ the same person."

Jessie tried to absorb that concept. She shook her head and looked at Oak again. "Tell me more about them together," she said.

"It was amazing to watch, Jessica," Oak said with a grin. "Your mother and father worked together so smoothly that they were like one person sometimes. They could not stop arguing for one moment, yet they enjoyed a mutual passion that most mortals can't hope to experience in their lifetime. I suppose…" he sighed. "I suppose in the end that was the problem. While Miya loved Joe very much and he treasured her feelings for him, it wasn't a very deep relationship. It had gone right from a teenage crush into full-blown sex in one leap and that doesn't make for a particularly steady long-term bond.

"When Joe won the Supreme Championship shortly after his eighteenth birthday, I could already see that the damage was irreversible. Joe was beginning to form the original Team Rocket by that time, feeling that his destiny was more than to just be a competitor in a spectator sport. He was spending so much time recruiting and training that he was neglecting Miya and the relationship had withered away. Finally, shortly after Joe, Charlie and Miya founded Team Rocket, they broke up. It was amicable and they remained close friends, it was just that they realised they were simply not close enough to remain lovers any longer.

"About this time, Joe met Delilah, who was training as a nurse here in Pallet Town. Miya was busy trying to get the two of them together. In them, she could see the emotional depth and mutual devotion that she and Joe had never enjoyed. However, there was a fly in the ointment." Oak sighed. "This was in the years before the League started requiring young novices to have FII implants fitted when they enter puberty, so Joe and Miya had relied on physical contraception. However, the night after Joe's victory in the Champion's League, the two of them had got drunk and had slept together one last time. A short time later, Miya found that she was pregnant with Joe's child."

"Then… I am nothing but a mistake?" Jessie asked, her eyes filled with tears. "Mama and Papa didn't even _love_ each other when they made me! _Thanks for nothing, old man!_" Jessie lunged to her feet and was about to storm off when Oak grabbed her arm firmly.

"You are _not_ a 'mistake,'" Oak said firmly. "I will not let you talk about it in those terms. You were the last act in the most incredible star-crossed romance I have ever been privileged to witness. Your father and mother knew that they were going to part. Your mother _did_ love your father, even though she knew it could not last. She deliberately decided to conceive Joe's child. And your father would _never_ do anything that he didn't want to do, even if he was drunk. I am certain that he knew what would likely happen, and he was content with the possibility. A parting gift, if you will."

Jessie nodded quietly. Described like that, it didn't sound so bad at all. If anything, it sounded romantic and dramatic, something that appealed to her.

"Miya came to Charlie and me for help," he explained. "She asked that one of us marry her hurriedly and adopt the child as our own. She correctly assumed that, learning he had a child, Joe would leave Delilah and insist on marrying her. He would make himself miserable by tying himself to a loveless marriage out of a feeling of loyalty to her child." Oak laughed. "It was a typical act of self-sacrifice on her part. Your mother was always putting others first. She still loved your father and didn't want him to be miserable because of something she saw as being entirely her responsibility."

Oak laughed again, more ruefully as he remembered the look of utter shock on Charlie's and his faces when Miya made her request. "Neither Charlie nor I knew exactly how to respond. Then it was too late. Joe found out. He and Miyamoto met. She refused point-blank to marry him and… well she told him a lot of lies and very nearly broke his heart. She also told him a truth: that his place was with Delilah, his true soul mate, not with her even though she carried his child." Oak smiled. "She was very persuasive. Joe reluctantly did as she asked. Miya even refused to accept money from him to help bring up the child.

"Joe put even more effort into his relationship with Delilah than before. The two were already very much in love. Delilah must have noticed how worried he was about something and made it her business to make him feel better. She succeeded. Within a year of their first meeting, the two married and you only had to look at the expression on their faces as they walked down the aisle to know that, difficult as it was, Miyamoto had done the right thing. They were happy together in a way that Joe and Miya never were or could ever hope to be.

"Miya was invited to the wedding, but chose not to attend, and I can't blame her. You were born about a week before the wedding. Joe never saw you even once. Miya asked him to stay away for Delilah's sake and he respected that. Of course, in time, I think the pain lessened somewhat. He had Delilah and his love for her healed many of his wounds from his failed relationship with your mother."

Oak's face darkened. "As I explained to Ash, however, the first clouds were already forming. Team Rocket had begun to clean up this imperfect world as best as it could, but there was so much in the way of Joe's dreams of a just, free world. Slowly, but surely, Joe was slipping further and further into the darkness. Everyone could see it, but he was so charismatic and so… _certain_ about everything that all of us were too afraid to say anything.

"The final straw was when Joe led an assault force to free the people of the Afghano-Persian Republic from a fundamentalist government that _claimed_ to be Islamic, but frankly failed both the spirit and the letter of their faith. He was… brutal, Jessica. Bloodthirsty and cruel. There is no other way to describe it. It was the beginning of the end of Joseph Oak and the birth of Giovanni diRocketti.

"Miyamoto was one of Team Rocket's Inner Council by now. She was the only one of them courageous to speak out against Joe. She denounced him in a full meeting of the Council and demanded his impeachment and expulsion from Team Rocket." Oak groaned and covered his face. "She was always too brave, Jessica. Too brave, and not wise enough to know when to remain silent. Joe had her expelled from the Inner Council and demoted to a Field Agent. Six weeks later, he assigned her to find The First Mew in the Icy Mountains. He was certain, so he claimed, that the God of the Pokémon could be captured and would be a great asset to the Cause."

Professor Oak stopped. Jessie knew the rest of the story. "And she died in the mountains," she continued. "She died in an avalanche. So what Giovanni said about executing her was a lie designed to hurt me."

"No," Oak said. "I wish that were so, Jessica, but it is not." The old man was crying. "I don't know the details, but I do know that Joe disappeared from the Earth Gym for a few weeks. When he came back, he had changed completely. The Joe I had known was dead and he had _become _Giovanni. Your mother never returned and you disappeared too. I can only assume she knew that something was wrong and she had made arrangements to keep you out of Giovanni's hands. Charlie and I searched for both of you. We found your mother…" he paused. "Do you want to know?"

"No," Jessie said, her voice small and terrified. 

Oak nodded his understanding. "It is enough to say that Joe… that _Giovanni_ ambushed her. He brutalised her over what must have been a period of weeks. Then he slit her jugular veins and left her tied up in a sewer pipe under Viridian City to slowly bleed to death surrounded by rats, Grimers and filth."

Jessie had collapsed into tears some time during the Professor's recital. He stood up and walked over to her. He knelt beside the weeping woman and held her. "I'm so sorry, dear," he said. "If I could say or do anything to make this better, I would. But I can't."

"I… I half ex… expected it," Jessie sobbed. "But I don't understand why everyone thought she died in the mountains."

"That was… my fault," Oak said. "Charlie, who was closer to Joe than anyone, begged me not to tell. He was certain that if he could face Joe with his crime alone, he could save him. God forgive me, but I believed him. Charlie took Miya's body to Glacier City and buried her there. He was the one who raised the memorial stone you've probably seen. When I returned to headquarters, Charlie had already spread the tale you heard about an avalanche. In retrospect, I signed all their death warrants. If I had told them what happened, the entire team would have turned on Joe and stopped him. As it was, none of them knew about how he had fallen until he decided to destroy them all, and then it was too late." Professor Oak stopped and frowned. Jessie could see an incomprehensible pain writhing behind his eyes. "I am the last survivor of the original Team Rocket, except Joe… _Giovanni_ and Charlie… they call him Mondo Jones now, I understand."

"Mondo's grandfather? He was one of the original Team Rocket?" This caught Jessie's attention. "But… he was one of Mama's friends! Why is he still working with Giovanni?"

"Charlie… Mondo… whatever you call him… had a choice, Jessica," Oak explained. "He had to choose between loyalty to Team Rocket and loyalty to his closest friend. He chose his friend over his cause. I should have realised that he would blindly follow Joe wherever he went. All my friends died because of his weakness of the soul, and it is all _my_ fault."

"It… it isn't your fault," Jessie said in a low, broken tone of voice. She had started to cry again. "It… it is Giovanni. Everything bad about my life seems to somehow be because of _him_!" She shook her head, sucked in her sobs and tried to stop crying. "Well," she said harshly, "it seems I have as much a motivation to fight now as Ash and James have."

"Don't," Oak said firmly. "Don't succumb to revenge. Giovanni has to be stopped for the good of all people everywhere, but if you let hate motivate your actions, you will have started down the same dark path that claimed my brother. Then Giovanni really will have won the ultimate victory." Jessie looked at him unsteadily. "Learn from Ash's example," Oak said gently. "Do this to build a better future, not to perpetuate the pains of the past. That is what your mother would have wanted. She bore you in love. The best memorial you can give her is to live your life for love."

Jessie began to cry even harder, and Samuel Oak could do nothing except hold his niece until her tears had finally been all cried out.

***

It was late evening in Pallet Town and the sun was setting behind the Pallet Hills. 

Jessie leaned back into James' embrace thankfully while Ash and Misty stood nearby, Raichu hanging on Ash's back and Togetic hovering beside Misty. Meowth was sitting in her lap, rubbing her face reassuringly. The seven friends and were standing on the opposite slope of the Pallet Valley from the site of the Professor's research centre. Jessie had flown over on Fearaven to see James. She had told her four closest friends everything Professor Oak had told her. The horror in her voice hurt everyone, especially James, who hated seeing his lover hurt.

"I'm here," James whispered into Jessie's ear.

"I know," Jessie replied quietly. "It… it was hard," she said more loudly, "but it has cleared the air. I know who my mother was and the cause she died for. I think I can move on now."

"We all have our own pain," Ash said quietly. He felt strangely ambiguous. Professor Oak had told him this story before, but never had Ash imagined that _Jessie_ was the daughter of that brave Rocket who stood up to Giovanni when he emerged from the darkness that consumed Ash's father. Stranger still, that a woman who had been his bitterest enemy for the first six years of his Journey was, if fact, his half-sister. "Yours is greater than most, Jessie. I…" he paused. "Giovanni is yours to kill, if you want him." Misty gasped and James physically tensed as Jessie considered the offer. Meowth was silent, knowing that he had no right to interrupt or advise in this matter.

"Wouldn't I be depriving you of your rights, Ash?" she asked with an indecipherable smile. "You are the firstborn son, after all." Ash didn't reply. He just focussed his thoughtful brown eyes on his half-sister and waited for her decision. "Mama believed in Team Rocket and what it originally stood for," she said. "She died because she stood up for those beliefs. If I went out to kill to avenge her… I would be betraying her."

Ash nodded thankfully. "That's good," he said. "I don't want any more deaths because of this, and least of all Giovanni's. It would be descending to his level." Misty, Meowth and James visibly relaxed when they heard Ash and Jessie's words.

"You know, I don't know why I ever thought you were a dumb Twerp," James said with a laugh.

"I _was_ dumb when I was ten, James," Ash said with a grin. "If I've changed for the better, it is because of the quality of my friends and the determination and skill of my _adversaries_." Ash winked at the threesome sitting together on the hillside.

"Hey, he gave us a compliment," Meowth chuckled. "Meowth! We finally done som't'in' right!"

Jessie stood up and James joined her. "Well, I should be going to get some decent clothes," Jessie said. "I can't go to Delilah's dinner tonight in these _rags_." She turned to leave, intending to get her best clothes from Team Thunderbolt's ad-hoc headquarters in a derelict factory in Pallet Town. "We'll see you later."

"See you tonight, James, Jessie, Meowth," Misty said with a smile and a wave.

"Yeah, see you," Ash said thoughtfully. "James… uh…" Ash paused, feeling uncomfortable. James turned to look at him, looking curious. "James, look after my sister, okay?"

"_She_ is usually the one who looks after _me_," James said with a laugh. Jessie punched him playfully on the shoulder. With Meowth skipping at their side, the three who Ash used to refer to as 'Team Rocket' but now thought of as among his dearest friends walked back towards the town.

There was a long quiet moment as Ash and Misty stood watching the sunset. Misty could read Ash's expression and posture, and she could see the pain that filled his every movement. "Please tell me what you're feeling," Misty asked Ash quietly.

"I feel… mutilated," Ash said at last. "Joy tried to dress it up in nice clothes, but Cassidy has maimed me for life." Ash covered his face for a moment, fighting tears that were the symptoms of delayed shock more than any other thing. Misty sighed and walked over to hug Ash from behind. Ash placed his hands over where Misty's hands crossed over his chest. "I'm sorry that you have to endure loving someone so… damaged, Misty. I wouldn't blame you for trying to find someone else."

"Ash!" Misty was suddenly angry and released him. She whirled her lover around and stared in his face. "Don't you _dare_ start getting all self-loathing with me, Ash Ketchum!" she snapped, sticking a finger in his face. "None of this is your fault and I am not going to leave you because of a minor medical malfunction that Joy isn't even sure is going to be a _problem_." Ash tried to babble a response, but Misty rode right over him. "Look, Mr. Ketchum, I am with you because I love you. Not because I want to bear your children or because I think you are a good genetic material for a mate, but because I love _you_: the heroic, kind, loving, honest and woefully _dense_ Ash Ketchum!"

Ash jumped back a good yard and frowned as he heard Raichu and Togetic starting to laugh from where they were sitting watching them. "Okay! I believe you," he said hastily before Misty could launch another barrage. He shook his head. "I should know better than to doubt your feelings for me by now."

"Damn straight!" Misty snapped and turned around to look away from him.

Ash didn't like that view, so he acted to change it. He walked up behind Misty and circled her waist with his arms. "I love you, Misty," he said. "You are the thing that keeps me in the light." He hugged her a little tighter, and when the outraged stiffness of her posture didn't change, he nuzzled her hair aside and kissed her on the side of the neck. "Your love is the thing that makes me strong," he said as he continued to place kisses on Misty's neck.

"Ash…" she sighed and groaned gently, her body relaxing and leaning into Ash's presence. "Ash, you crazy idiot… we'll be late for the dinner your Mom is hosting…"

"Come on, you know we've got the time," Ash whispered seductively into her ear, nibbled on her earlobe and then kissed it.

"S' a hillside in full view…" Misty sighed, her eyes closed in appreciation of her mate's attentions. "Anyone could see…"

"It's late evening. People would need… a Starlite Scope… to see us," Ash murmured, tracking kisses along Misty's white neck and throat at every pause in his reply. "If they've… gone to that much… trouble, I think… we shouldn't… disappoint them!"

Raichu stood up on his hind legs as Misty chuckled sensually and turned to face Ash. [Guys…] he called and then sighed, sagging slightly. [Oh well, I suppose it's better than them fighting.]

[At least they're happy, Uncle Raichu,] Togetic said, sounding unusually mature and sensible. Evolving had changed Togetic and only for the better.

Raichu looked at the fairy-like Psychic-type for a long moment. [Yes,] he said at last. [Nonetheless we owe them some respect.] Raichu deliberately stepped in front of Togetic and covered the little creature's ears. The only problem was that meant _he_ could hear the groans and sighs… even if his back _was_ turned.

***

Delilah had just finished settling the polite journalist, Snap, in Misty's old room. She knew the young man on sight, having received a photograph of him with Ash and Misty during their second journey in the Orange Islands three years ago. No friend of her family would have to find a place in a refugee camp so long as she had a roof over her head.

Delilah was still amazed at the miracles that Ash and Misty had performed. The house was almost completely repaired although, as Ash had warned, there remained a great deal of fine details left to finish; like putting up curtain rails, laying carpets, linoleum and parquet flooring. Nonetheless, being under her own roof again had made Delilah feel a lot better about life. 

However… well it wasn't the same house really. Most of the appliances and furniture were gone and the rooms felt very empty, something which Mimey's absence only worsened. Worse still, there was the disturbing discovery Delilah made when she went into Ash's room. She should have expected it, of course. After all, she had realised that Ash and Misty's relationship had finally deepened to intimacy long before anyone else. Nonetheless, it was still a great shock to see all of Ash and Misty's surviving possessions in one room and a large double floor-level bed sitting in the centre of the room. The fact that her little boy had indubitably become a man made her feel uncomfortable and just a little sad.

While Ash and Misty had, as already stated, performed miracles, even they couldn't do everything. None of Pallet Town's public utilities had yet been restored. Water was brought around every morning by military tanker trucks. If you were close enough, of course, there was either the river or the lake. Electricity and gas for heating were also still unavailable, so the big celebration dinner was going to be held in the back garden.

A large hearth fire was burning in the middle of the lawn and several cooking pots were suspended over the flames on frames assembled from metal pieces. Brock and Joy were tending to the cooking while Brock's Ninetails (who had been kind enough to light the fire) watched the roasting beef on the spit with a great deal of interest.

Everyone was there, and in his or her party-best clothes, a detail that was made rather surreal by the low-tech surroundings. No electric lights burned in Pallet Town these days except the massive spotlights at the refugee camp. Most people preferred to remain with their partially rebuilt homes, so other bonfires lit the night around the town. Delilah couldn't blame those who were sticking to their homes. Better a half-complete house than a soulless, anonymous tent or prefabricated hut, in her view.

"Hey, everyone!" James shouted as his Gyarados curved into the garden. "I've got the champagne! The best stuff in Viridian City!" That, Delilah reflected as Snap walked out of the back door to join the others in the garden, was one advantage of having a flying-type Pokémon. Shopping trips were easier and had a wider range.

As Delilah looked around the garden, lit by the fire and some oil-burning hurricane lanterns. She considered Ash's eight allies… no _friends_ thoughtfully. After all, this was the first time she had met some of them, and certainly the first time she had seen them all together in this context.

Brock and Joy were clearly still delirious in re-discovering their love for each other. The former Gym Leader and the former Pokémon nurse hadn't been far from each other all day. Brock had changed so much since the time Delilah had first met him. Now, it seemed that he was finally putting away the demons that had driven him from the first time Ash had faced him in the Boulder Gym. For the first time Delilah could remember, he looked genuinely comfortable. Delilah didn't know Joy at all, but the way the woman kept looking into Brock's eyes told her everything she needed to know about their relationship.

Richie was, as always, surfing the Internet on his laptop computer. The young man was a genuine technology prodigy and he always seemed to prefer the company of the electronic kind. He had called up a web page of comedy cartoons of some kind. Lance and James were laughing at what was playing on the screen. Jessie was looking on in a superior disgust for such childish pursuits and Sabrina was looking on in frank amazement.

Speaking of Lance and Sabrina… Delilah had heard the rumours about Sabrina von Daimen. Who hadn't? However, the quiet and helpful young woman standing behind Lance didn't seem to match the stories of the formidable psychic who had a reputation for forcing those who failed to win her Marsh Badge to go through the most nightmarish experiences. The Sabrina that Delilah had come to know over the last day was a quiet and highly introverted woman. The only time she ever came out of her shell was around Lance Hook. Despite the fact the boy was about ten years her junior, the two of them were like two halves of the same soul. He was a typical farm boy type: Honest, formal around people who he wasn't familiar with and extremely proper in his manners. The only time the boy seemed to relax was when Sabrina was near him. When she touched him, his eyes would lose focus and Delilah could almost feel the bond between the two of them.

Maxine Simmonds, aka 'Duplicia,' was someone that Delilah knew quite well. The girl had stayed at the house with Ash, Misty and Brock for a few weeks a couple of years ago. She was kind, friendly and seemed to live to help others. She was a born prankster and a wonderful entertainer. Her singing voice, Delilah knew, was one of an angel. She could be fierce and gentle by turns. Delilah knew that she was deeply attracted to Ash, but the young woman understood that he had given his heart to another.

Jessie and James were the ones who had changed the most. James, who was once a timid and highly neurotic personality, had become a harsh and unyielding fighter. He was filled with a pain and anger that reminded Delilah of some of the original Team Rocket. The only time he was able to relax was with Jessie. Jessie, who was once scornful and superior, seemed now to be gentler and more caring. She hovered near James a lot, worrying about his happiness and safety. She was a fighter born and bred, but she was also a person with the deepest hurt in her soul. Delilah could see the sadness in her eyes, and could see how James soothed it. Both Jessie and James had suffered great wounds because of Giovanni. Perhaps, together, they would heal them. 

Sam had told Delilah that he had found out that Jessie was Miyamoto's little girl. How strange that after two decades, she should have found herself first fighting against and then with her half brother. As surprising as fate's whims were, Delilah had promised she would treat the former terrorist woman more kindly from now on. Although the relationship was a tenuous one, Jessie was still _family_.

"Er… is everyone here?" Sam Oak asked.

Delilah looked around. "Where's Ash and Misty?" she asked. No one knew. Suddenly the back door slammed open and the two missing Thunderbolts arrived.

"Sorry we're late," Ash said.

"Yeah we got… held up," Misty added, and giggled as Ash went bright red.

Delilah looked at her son and the girl she saw as her daughter and sighed. Both of them were as scruffy as you could possibly be; their clothes in disarray and their hair unkempt. What had they been doing? Rolling in the grass somewhere…? Delilah suddenly went very red herself as she realised _what_ they had been doing.

"Right, as everyone's here, we can begin," Professor Oak said over the buzz of conversation. "This is just an informal get-together, I know. However, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Delilah Ketchum for hosting this event. I also want to thank Ash Ketchum and Misty Waterflower, as I understand they are responsible for ensuring the house was usable. On behalf of Delilah and myself, I would also like to thank you for yesterday's rescue. We owe you our lives and are in all of your debt."

There were some embarrassed smiles as the young heroes all looked away and around, trying not to feel too self-conscious about that praise. Delilah smiled slightly. Heroes they might be, but it was important to remember that their average age was only 21. To these… _children_… fate had entrusted the future of the world.

"So, if that finishes the speeches," James said from the other side of the cooking fire, "let's eat!" There was a great deal of good-natured laughter in response, and a general stampede towards where Brock was standing ready to dish out the food.

***

Ash was talking to Brock and Joy when Professor Oak came up to him. "Ash," he said quietly. Ash turned to look at his mentor with a friendly smile. "Ash, your mother and I would like to have a word in private," he said.

"Sure," Ash said easily. "Raichu," here Ash turned to his electric-type, who was hanging from his back, "can you ask Misty to come and join me please?" he asked. Raichu nodded and leapt from his back and darted off to where Misty was talking to Jessie and Duplicia about something.

Oak sighed and rolled his eyes. _I really meant it when I said 'in private,' lad_, he thought. Still, Ash and Misty seemed to be a joined by some invisible bond these days. If you wanted one, you got both.

"See you around, Brock-o," Ash said, waving easily over his shoulder as he followed Professor Oak away.

"I thought he would never leave," Brock said with a slight shake of his head.

Joy looked at Brock in surprise. "I thought he was your best friend?" she asked.

"He is," Brock said, smiling at her reassuringly. "It's just that I want to do something, and it's difficult when your best friend is talking _at_ you without even taking a break for breath." Joy chuckled. "Ash is a good man," Brock continued, "but, boy, can he talk!"

"So what is it that is so important?" Joy asked, still chuckling slightly.

"I want to give you something," Brock said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a velvet bag. He pulled the bag's drawstring and pulled out what was nestled inside. 

Joy gasped in appreciation and drew back. She almost couldn't believe that this was happening, and she was a little afraid. "Wh… where did you get this from?" she asked.

"I bought it ten years ago, for you," Brock replied. "We've been through bad times since then, but I still want you to have it… and keep it forever."

Joy felt tears prickling in her eyes. She looked from Brock's gift into his amber eyes and tried to think of something, of _anything_, that she could say in reply.

***

Ash walked into what, with a lot of work, would be a kitchen. By the light of a hurricane lantern, he saw his mother leaning against the counter Ash had assembled just a few days previously. "Hi, Mom. What's this about?" he asked.

Delilah felt nervous. While she recognised that this conversation was necessary, she wasn't sure she could face all the possible answers her only child could give to the questions they were about to ask.

"Ash, lad, we just want to have a chat with you," Professor Oak said quietly from behind Ash. "We were both more than a little alarmed about the level of force you used in Vermilion City." Ash shot Oak a surprised and concerned look, but didn't say anything. "Ash, I have to know," the old man said, "how far were you willing to go?"

"As far as it was necessary," Ash said in a completely level tone of voice. "I had to rescue you."

"But darling," Delilah protested, a little fear entering her voice, "you could have killed those Rockets!"

Ash looked at his mother in a concerned way. "I… don't think so," he said at last. "I went to a lot of trouble to make sure they were at risk. I don't want anyone to be hurt if I can avoid it."

Delilah blinked. "Ash, those fire attacks…"

Ash laughed. "Mom," he said with a lop-sided and confident grin, "you shouldn't worry! Those attacks were for effect only. I had to drive the Rockets up to the top of the building so I could immobilise them and stop them from killing themselves!" Ash stepped forward and put his hands on her shoulders. "Mom, trust me on this. I don't want cause _any_ unnecessary hurt."

Delilah felt relieved. She cupped Ash's chin in her hand and looked into his eyes with a slight smile. "I'm happy to hear that, darling," she said.

"Ash, what would you define as 'necessary?'" Oak asked. Ash turned around and gave him a hard look, but the old man was resolute. He had to be sure that Ash hadn't started down his father's path. "What if you were in a fight for your life?"

Ash paused and drew in a deep breath. "I would make every effort to capture the person unharmed," Ash said. "Make no mistake, however, Professor: If it came down to it being he and I to the death, I wouldn't hesitate for a second." Ash heard his mother gasp in horror, but he concentrated his attention on Professor Oak. "I would take no joy in using lethal force, Professor, but I won't throw away my life of that of my friends for a principle that the other guy wouldn't respect anyway."

Oak nodded. "Your father once said the same thing," he said sadly.

"I'm not going to become a new, worse Giovanni, Professor," Ash said with a smile. "Never worry about that!"

__

Easy for you to say, but we can't take that risk, Delilah said to herself, horror and desperate hope warring in her heart. "Ash, you understand that we need to be sure," she said.

"I do understand, Mom," Ash said. "Giovanni likes killing and causing suffering and that is something I could never do. I value my friends and my family too much to hurt them."

Professor Oak was about to say something when Misty suddenly entered the kitchen with Raichu running alongside her and Togetic fluttering at her side. "You can be sure of that," Misty said. She walked over to Ash, took his hand and kissed him on the cheek. "Ash is a good person," she continued. "You don't have to worry about him ever becoming like his father."

Professor Oak looked at the soul mates thoughtfully. "I'm afraid, my dear, that we need more than a glib assurance," he said.

Ash smiled. "Professor, I won't lie," he said. "When you, Mom and Joy were kidnapped, I nearly lost it. I was this close," Ash held a finger and a thumb just a fraction of an inch apart, "to falling into the darkness forever." Ash turned to Misty and smiled. "Misty saved me," he said. "I realised that if I gave into hate, I would hurt my friends, my family and… my love… Maybe even destroy them." Ash took Misty's hand and squeezed it. The two of them exchanged such an incredibly loving gaze that the two older people felt like intruders. "I couldn't do that," Ash concluded. "Not ever."

There was a long pause before Professor Oak spoke again. "I am very glad to hear that," he said. "I was worried about you, lad."

"You were right to be," Ash said. "I wouldn't have made if it were not for my friends."

"Don't undersell yourself, Ash," Misty said. "You are tougher than you think."

[You can be sure that we will always be there for you, Ash,] Raichu added stoutly.

Delilah and Professor Oak had to take a moment to gather their thoughts before continuing. "Now, we need to discuss what we do next." Delilah nodded in agreement. "I, for one, want to interview Gary as early tomorrow as is convenient for you," Oak continued.

"I couldn't believe that he betrayed us not once but twice," Delilah said sadly. "I can't understand why he would do that."

Ash looked at Professor Oak for a moment, making the man feel nervous again. "Gary explained it to me," he said. "He had his reasons, paranoid and insipid they were."

"I blame myself," Oak said quietly. "I never gave him the attention he needed after his mother, Sarah, died. Paul tried his best, but it was so difficult for him to raise Gary and May on his own and hold down his job with the Governing Council. If I had given Gary more of my attention…"

"It wasn't your fault, Professor," Misty said kindly. "We all know that Ash _had_ to be your priority. So much depended on him." Delilah nodded her agreement and walked over to Sam Oak, holding his shoulders and looking into his eyes in an attempt to comfort him. Gary was far from the product of a deprived upbringing of any kind.

"Gary had to make his own choices," Ash added. "He was powerful enough a Trainer to do whatever he wanted, including finding happiness. Instead he chose to let his childhood bitterness consume him."

Oak cleared his throat. There was a suspicion of tears in his eyes. "Well," he said at last. "In any case, I want to start rectifying my mistakes. When can I see Gary, Ash?"

"Professor, I…" Ash shook his head. "That won't be possible, Professor. Gary is no longer with us. We don't have the facilities to hold a prisoner for more than a few days at the Gang Hut, and I couldn't just release someone who had proven he would do anything to injure me. I made sure he won't be a threat to our struggle against Team Rocket ever again."

There was a long, horrified pause. Delilah covered her mouth to muffle a cry and Oak's eyes opened very, very wide. Ash and Misty looked around at the expressions on the faces of the older pair and they both began to laugh out loud. "It isn't funny!" Oak shouted. "Ash, for God's sake, don't tell me that you _killed_…?"

Ash waved a hand to silence Oak's horrified question. "No…" he chuckled. "No Professor, nothing like that! I told you that I would only do something like that as an absolute last resort. No, I decided to sequester Gary somewhere safe until I have finished my business with Team Rocket. I dumped him, his Umbreon, Arcanine, some survival equipment, food and water on an uninhabited island in the Orange Archipelago." Ash grinned. "Who knows? He might capture a Lapras or a Gyarados and get off himself, but somehow I doubt it!"

Oak nodded in relief. "Still, lad," he said, "you shouldn't act as judge, jury and executioner, you know that."

"I do," Ash said. "I won't leave him there, Professor."

"No matter how much he deserves it," Misty added tartly, making Ash laugh and put an arm across her shoulders to hug her.

"I will bring him back after things are more settled," Ash announced. "He is still my cousin and I still care for him. I will try to help him and get over his bitterness." Ash's voice became more impassioned. "He _is_ still a good person, Mom, Professor. I won't let that person die because he made a few bad decisions."

"That's my Ash," Misty said airily. "He's always trying to help people and save them, even from themselves if necessary." _Even if they don't deserve the effort_, she added silently. She smiled and shook her head. If Ash had chosen to forgive Gary, considering how he had suffered because of him, who was she to hold a grudge?

There was another long pause. "That is more noble and kind an attitude than he has any right to expect, lad," Oak said at last. "Thank you."

"I'm proud of you, Ash," Delilah said, a broad smile finally escaping her worries.

Ash smiled and nodded. "You know, I owe Gary," he said. "His example and that of my father show me what lies down the dark path: Greed, hatred, loneliness, sorrow and self-destruction. I would hate to have that kind of life." Ash looked lovingly into Misty's eyes again. "I prefer the light with the company of my friends and my loves."

Misty grinned and mouthed 'I love you,' at Ash. Raichu grinned and rolled his eyes in mock disbelief.

Suddenly, the back door opened again and Richie stuck his head in. "Come on, guys," he said. "You're missing all the fun! Not to mention the _food_!"

Raichu leapt off of the table and shot out of the door. [Save the Ketchup for me!] the electric squirrel squeaked.

Ash grinned and offered his mother the crook of his arm. Delilah nodded politely and took her son's arm. 

As they left, Professor Oak caught Misty's arm. "So much is owed to you," he said to her quietly. "If Ash had fallen…"

"I only reminded him of what he already knew," Misty said with a quiet, gentle smile. "The strength and goodness are all from _his_ heart."

***

Later that night, after everyone else had finally gone to their beds, Todd Marshall ('Snap,' to his friends) stood on the rebuilt 'terrace' garden on the roof of the of the Ketchum home's garage. He looked over the dark mass of buildings that was the slowly reviving Pallet Town for a moment before closing his eyes and trying to attain to peace. Suddenly, a strong, humour-filled voice filled his mind. _What do you have to report, Snap? _Mewtwo asked.

Snap swallowed and tried to stay relaxed. He carefully enunciated his thoughts, letting the powerful psychic-type pull them from his public mind. _I have made contact with the Thunderbolts, Master_, he thought. _There have been no awkward questions so far. Delilah Ketchum has allowed me to stay at her house. Ash and Misty have welcomed me without question. I think that Sabrina is a bit suspicious, but she hasn't been able to penetrate the privacy blocks you placed in my mind._

Excellent, Mewtwo said. _Well done, Snap. You have done very well indeed. _ Snap smiled unconsciously as the power of his employer's approval triggered an endorphin surge.

__

Thank you, Master. He replied. _What are your instructions now?_

For now, merely continue to observe them, Mewtwo instructed. _I want to know the moment Ketchum makes his next move._ The tone of the psychic-type's voice became thoughtful and meditative. _I have as much of a debt to pay to the Dark One as any, and I want to be in the right time and place to pay it_.

Snap nodded unconsciously. _I will let you know as soon as anything out-of-the-ordinary happens, Boss_, he thought.

__

Very well, Mewtwo sent and Snap felt the pressure in his mind ease as the Pokémon's alien mind withdrew.

***

Next morning, Team Thunderbolt were meeting in what was once an executive boardroom in the office/warehouse complex they were occupying, but which they had converted into a map room. The big mahogany board table now had a large-scale UNDF Survey map of the entire Kanto region pinned to it. 

Jessie, James, Meowth, Richie, Lance, Sabrina, Misty and Duplicia were standing around, trying not to show the after-affects of last night's celebration too obviously. "So, Misty, what's this about?" James asked.

"I don't know," Misty said. "You know how much of an enigma Ash can be sometimes." Everyone knew that _this_ was very true. "He was up half last night muttering about something," she continued. "Maybe he has come up with a plan."

"Maybe," James agreed.

"Meowth, if it means we can relax soon, it's got Meowth's vote!"

"I certainly hope it has," Ash said, entering the room with Raichu hanging on his back. He walked over to Misty and the two exchanged a kiss. "Where's Brock and Joy?" The former Gym Leader and Pokémon nurse were both absent still.

"They left about half-way through the party," Duplicia revealed. "Brock had been talking to Joy and suddenly they ran off."

"Weird," Richie said.

"What is?" Brock asked. He and Joy had walked in hand-in-hand looking… well the description that entered Ash's head was 'disgustingly chipper.' "Morning everyone," Brock continued with a broad smile. "So what did you want to see us about, Ash?"

Raichu suddenly tugged on Ash's jacket. [Ash, Joy has a new bit of jewellery,] he said. [Your mother wears something similar. Is there a particular significance to it?]

Ash looked closely and saw what Raichu's sharp eyes had seen. Brock and Joy were both wearing simple golden bands with solitaire diamonds on their left ring fingers. "Ah… Are congratulations in order?" Ash asked.

"Definitely," Brock said, looking lovingly into Joy's eyes. 

[Look, Uncle Raichu,] Togetic said, [they're doing what Mommy and Daddy do!]

[Charizard's right,] Raichu said with a sigh, [it must be the right time of year for humans.]

"Meowth, just throw a bucket o' ice water over dem!" was Meowth's less-than kind comment, one that earned him a thump from Jessie.

Brock, having communicated something to his lover, turned back to his best friend. "I guess this is as good a time to announce it as any. Last night… Joy agreed to marry me. We'll wait until the worst of the action is over, but we are certain about this." Everyone suddenly closed in around the newly affianced pair and congratulated them. Brock had gone bright red and Joy was on the verge of tears by the time they got breathing room back.

Ash waited with a slight smile for the excitement to die down and for the ladies to stop cooing over Joy's ring. "Now we've got that out of the way, we can continue," he said in a slightly ironic tone of voice. Sabrina, Misty, Jessie and Duplicia all stepped back from Joy with embarrassed expressions. Ash couldn't hold the laughter in any longer, even though he was sure he would suffer for it from Misty in due time.

"Anyway," Ash said after a moment trying to sober up, "I called this meeting because I want to discuss a new strategy with you."

"A 'new' strategy?" Richie asked, leaning forward with some interest. "Are we going to try something new, Ash?"

"Yes indeed, Richie," Ash confirmed. "In many ways, I think I should apologise for leading you all down a wrong route," he continued. "Over the last few weeks, I suddenly realised that we were pursuing this war in completely the wrong way."

"Are you admitting to an error, Ash?" James asked with a sardonic smirk. Jessie scowled and elbowed him hard in the ribs. Ash, however, didn't take offence. Why should he, when what his friend had said was true?

"Indeed I am, James," he said. "I've finally realised that we could spend the rest of our lives ripping open and knocking out Team Rocket bases and we still wouldn't get within a mile of defeating them. Team Rocket is simply too big and has too large a membership. No matter how much damage we caused, we could never cause _enough_."

"So, what are you suggesting?" Misty asked, looking at Ash in a worried way.

"A new concept, Misty," Ash said. "I call it 'The Hydra Strategy.'" Ash took a moment to collect his thoughts before continuing. "A few years ago, I read Homer's _The Argonauts_. In it, the poet described a monster called the 'Hydra,' a sea serpent with dozens of heads. It sounds a lot like a Hydreel, and who knows? Maybe it was based on someone's visit to Kanto long ago. The point is that the Hydra was a very difficult beast to kill. If you cut off one of it's serpent-like heads, two more would grow in its place."

Brock saw where this was going. "You think this monster is a bit like Team Rocket," he said. "That we've been cutting off heads for no gain."

"That's right," Ash said. "As I said, Team Rocket is simply too large. We could carry on 'cutting off heads' until we all die of old age and Team Rocket would still be there, twice as dangerous as before."

There was a long, depressed silence as the ten friends absorbed Ash's words. "So what are you suggesting we do?" Jessie asked at last. "There must be _something_ that we can do!"

"Well, the Hydra had only one weakness," Ash explained. "If you could impale its heart, it would die. It was the creature's only vulnerability." There was a sudden tension around the map table as Ash continued. "In the same way, Team Rocket has a vulnerable spot. A single target that, if we were to pluck it out, would make the beast shrivel away and die. A single target that could bring the entire edifice tumbling down."

There was a long, long, pause. "You are talking about taking down Giovanni," Lance said at last.

"Yes," Ash said. "I'm talking about taking down Giovanni."

__

To be continued…


	3. Heart of the Darkness

**__**

Pokémon

Avenger – A Pokémon epic by BenRG

****

Legal Disclaimer

Pokémon, the Pocket Monsters and their human friends and enemies are all the sole copyright and trademark property of Nintendo Entertainment and 4 Kids Productions. No breach of any copyright or legal property is intended.

****

Author's Notes

This is the last part of my first _Pokémon_ fic. As sad as it is, after all this time I _still_ don't know all the monsters or all the moves. I base my story purely on what I've seen of the cartoon and absorbed from other fan works. I thank all the other Pokémon writers on this board for providing plenty of inspiration. Special thanks to Charles "RocketBoy" Reilly, Wind, Joshua Falken, Chuchino and Catalina Storm for their comments, advice and encouragement.

Text in [squared-off brackets] indicates the translation of a Pokémon's language into English.

Text in _Italics_ but not in quotes indicates thoughts.

Text in "_quotes and italics_" is speech from a speaker, telephone or some other electronic means

****

This is an Alternate Universe story

Ages: Ash is 17 and Misty has just turned 19; Brock is 25; Jessie and James are both 24; Richie is 17; Duplicia is 18; Sabrina is 24; Lance is 16; Joy is 29; Delilah is 38; Professor Oak is 47.

****

Censor: R (Equivalent to UK '15' Certificate)

Content Warning: Swearing, explicit violence, description of injuries, implied sexual activity (including non-con) and mature topics.

****

Book 3 – The Return of the Crusaders

__

What has gone before…

It is the mid-twenty-first century, and in the land of Kanto, a war has begun. The heroic young Pokémon trainers known as Team Thunderbolt are waging a terrible struggle against the evil worldwide terrorist organisation Team Rocket. Leading these young heroes is Ash Ketchum, one of the greatest Pokémon trainers ever to have lived. Leading Team Rocket is the insane Giovanni diRocketti, the man once known as Joseph Oak, Ash's father.

Now, with the scars of the most recent battle between the forces of Team Rocket and Team Thunderbolt beginning to heal, Ash and his friends realise that they cannot fight this war forever. If peace and hope are to be restored to the people of the Kanto Islands, then they must take the war directly to the man directly responsible for starting it in the first place.

***

"So, what are you suggesting?" Misty asked, looking at Ash in a worried way.

"A new concept, Misty," Ash said. "I call it 'The Hydra Strategy.'" Ash took a moment to collect his thoughts before continuing. "A few years ago, I read Homer's _The Argonauts_. In it, the poet described a monster called the 'Hydra,' a sea serpent with dozens of heads. It sounds a lot like a Hydreel, and who knows? Maybe it was based on someone's visit to Kanto long ago. The point is that the Hydra was a very difficult beast to kill. If you cut off one of it's serpent-like heads, two more would grow in its place."

Brock saw where this was going. "You think this monster is a bit like Team Rocket," he said. "That we've been cutting off heads for no gain."

"That's right," Ash said. "As I said, Team Rocket is simply too large. We could carry on 'cutting off heads' until we all die of old age and Team Rocket would still be there, twice as dangerous as before."

There was a long, depressed silence as the ten friends absorbed Ash's words. "So what are you suggesting we do?" Jessie asked at last. "There must be _something_ that we can do!"

"Well, the Hydra had only one weakness," Ash explained. "If you could impale its heart, it would die. It was the creature's only vulnerability." There was a sudden tension around the map table as Ash continued. "In the same way, Team Rocket has a vulnerable spot. A single target that, if we were to pluck it out, would make the beast shrivel away and die. A single target that could bring the entire edifice tumbling down."

There was a long, long, pause. "You are talking about taking down Giovanni," Lance said at last.

"Yes," Ash said. "I'm talking about taking down Giovanni."

__

And now, the continuation…

****

Chapter 3 – Heart of the Darkness

It was dawn in the slowly recovering Pallet Town in the south-west of the Indigo region of the Kanto Republic. It was early in January 2068, and two young people were awaking in each other's arms. 

There was more light tapping on the door of their bedroom. "Ash, Misty? Are you awake?" Delilah Ketchum called quietly. "Ash, honey, you asked to be woken up at dawn."

Ash Ketchum opened his eyes and jumped to full wakefulness in an instant. Seven and a half years on the road combined with six months of fighting a guerrilla war against a powerful terrorist organisation had long since cured him of his childish tendency to oversleep. Lying against his chest, his girlfriend and soul mate, Misty Waterflower, also snapped awake. "We're up, Mom," Ash replied.

Misty felt the resonance of her lover's voice through her body and tried to take some small comfort from it. It would be a day, she knew, when comforts would be few and far between. A week had passed since Ash had announced to his friends his new strategy for defeating his father. A week filled with the most intense training that Misty had ever experienced in her life. Now, the time had at last come to put what they had learnt into practice.

[Don't tell me it is dawn _already_,] Raichu complained from his pillow as Ash and Misty struggled out of their bed.

[Yeah, Mommy, I've barely got to sleep after yesterday,] Togetic chimed in. Ash laughed slightly and Misty went over to reassure and comfort the two Pokémon. They had all been working hard over the last few days. The Pokémon were right to be a bit grumpy about the early awakening.

Delilah watched unhappily as the two young people left their bedroom. It wasn't so long ago that it was a pair of lanky, awkward pre-teen children (and a tall and even more awkward young adult) that she would have watched troop out for their morning ablutions. Now her son was a tall, muscular and handsome young man and Misty was an athletic and beautiful young woman. So much had changed, both in their appearance and their relationship, yet somehow some things didn't change. Ash offered his mother his usual lop-sided confident grin and Misty smiled gently, her essential compassion and kindness shining from her pale face. "Morning, Mom," Ash said. "Thanks for the wake-up call. Today is going to be a big day."

Delilah was no fool, and she knew that something was up, but she didn't know what. In fact, she wasn't certain that she _wanted_ to know. "Breakfast is ready," she said quietly.

"Thanks Mom," Ash said as he led Misty downstairs to where Ash had set up a temporary washroom in what had once been the conservatory. "You're the greatest!"

"Flattery will get you everywhere," she replied, making both her son and the woman who was her daughter-in-law in all but name laugh.

Delilah continued to watch until they disappeared from sight. She knew that her son was planning something big. For all she had confidence in him, she was still deadly afraid for him. She had lost so much to the creature that had once been her husband, and she feared that she might yet lose much more.

Delilah was still standing at the top of the staircase, worrying desperately, when Todd Marshall, aka 'Snap' left his own room and walked past. "Morning, Ms. K," he said, yawning mightily.

"What are you doing up, Todd?" Delilah asked.

"Hey, can anyone sleep when everyone else in the house is up?" Snap replied with a broad smile as he went down the stairs.

***

__

You are certain, the psychic voice asked. As Snap continued to wash in the basic bathtub that Ash had set up weeks ago, he was reporting in to his employer. Mewtwo's question verged on being a statement. Something told Snap that the powerful psychic-type had expected this development and soon.

__

The last few days have been filled with activity, Master, Snap 'said.' _I have never seen ten people train so hard or so determinedly in my life. They are planning something, and planning something _big_. Now Ash has suddenly changed his habits. Most importantly, I checked their room while they were out yesterday. Their travelling bags are packed._

Yes, it seems certain as to what the Chosen One plans are, Mewtwo remarked. _You have done well, Snap._ There was a pause before the genetically engineered psychic-type Pokémon continued. _I am sending another one of my agents to join you_, he announced. _She will assist you in ensuring that the Dark One gets no hint of what is to come_.

__

I understand, sir, Snap said. He didn't really. As Mewtwo's psychic presence faded away, he found himself wondering whom it could be that Mewtwo would send to help him. The only woman that he knew was on The Boss's staff was Joy Anderson, and she was a medic and an administrator, not a field agent. It was puzzling.

Once again, Snap found himself wondering how a simple journalistic investigation into the destruction of Mew Island had led to him getting himself into this mess.

***

"Well, my Mew go with you, Ash," Richie Yeager said at last, shaking his long-time rival's hand warmly. "I hope everything goes to plan." Outside Delilah Ketchum's home, ten young people were standing together. Six of them were about to depart on a journey to a final rendezvous with destiny. It was a journey that could only lead to victory… or to death.

"Nothing _ever_ goes to plan," Ash said with a slight grin. "Still, I live in hope." The black-haired young man drew in a deep breath before continuing. "You understand what I want you to do?"

"Keep raising hell by intercepting Team Rocket patrols," Richie said with a grin of his own. "Make Giovanni think you're still in Indigo rather than breathing down his neck." Ash nodded in approval. "I'll give it my best, Ash," Richie assured him.

Ash nodded. With a deep sigh, he shouldered his backpack and turned to leave Pallet Town. "Ash!" he turned to see his mother rush over to him. "Ash, I…" there was a long pause as Delilah stood just a few feet from her only child. Ash looked her in the eye and smiled ruefully. Delilah sucked in a sob and hugged him hard. She didn't know where Ash and the others were going. He had kept the whole matter secret and Delilah knew enough from her time with Joe not to even ask the question. She knew, however, that the final battle was about to begin. She was more afraid now than she had ever been before. "Be careful, my baby," she whispered in Ash's ear.

"I'll see you when I get back," Ash replied. He refused to even _think_ the term 'if,' for that implied failure and he didn't intend to fail at this endeavour. Delilah released him and, with tears in her eyes, watched him turn and walk away. "Let's go, guys," he said quietly. Misty, Jessie, Brock, Joy and James turned too and walked away with their leader and friend.

In the overpowering emotions of the moment, Sabrina would have been forgiven for missing it, but she did feel a strange alien mind in the vicinity, as if someone, or _something_, was observing these events.

Up on the hills over Pallet Town, Todd Marshall, known to all as 'Snap' was observing Ash's departure through high-powered binoculars. Beside him, Mewtwo's other agent hovered in mid-air, observing with senses that most humans could not even imagine. In between them stood a Fearow with a camera attached to a large harness around its' body. The camera was relaying live video footage of the moment to their mutual employer.

__

So the Chosen One leaves to face his destiny? Mewtwo asked, although he already knew the answer.

__

As far as I can tell, Snap replied. _Unlike your other agent, sir, I am not a mind reader_.

Mewtwo laughed silently as did his other agent. _You have done an excellent job, Snap_, he said. _I want you to stay in Pallet for now_, the genetically modified Psychic-type commanded. _You and your Pokémon should offer such assistance as is necessary for the rebuilding. Make sure you fully integrate yourself with those of the Chosen One's allies left behind. I suspect that this may be an advantage in the long-term._

By your command, my Master, Snap assured Mewtwo.

Suddenly, Snap's companion glared off to her right and darted off in that direction, accelerating very fast. Snap jumped inadvertently and reached behind him to grab his Geodude's Pokéball. He immediately broke into a run to help his colleague with whatever threat she had senses. He might have guessed, however that she didn't need his help.

He caught up with her by a bush further along the hill. Two terrified White Rockets were hovering in mid-air. On the ground beneath them was a selection of surveillance equipment and, of all things, a man-carried rocket launcher. "Well, well," Snap said. "What do we have here? A pair of knife-in-the-back assassins?" Snap knew that Ash had helped Professor Oak set up a communications interdictor field around Pallet Town to prevent his father from inserting spies. However, it was obvious that these Rockets' orders went far further than surveillance.

One of the Rockets looked at him resentfully. "We won't talk," he said.

"You won't have to," Snap explained. I assure you that my colleague here can extract everything we need to know from your minds without resorting to speech. Isn't that right?"

The small pink flying cat darted around her prisoners and glared at them dangerously. "Mew!" she agreed.

***

It was now just after dawn at Team Rocket's headquarters on Black Island, just west of Seafoam Island. As had taken place countless times before, the night shift were moving to their beds, and the day shift were getting ready for their day's tasks.

In one barracks, a man with hair dyed a shocking green shade had just risen and dressed in the charcoal grey uniform of a Dan'in 'grunt' fighter. He was looking at the duty roster that his section commander had just posted on the barracks notice board. "Hey, I don't believe it!" Butch said. "Cassidy!" Butch's long-term partner, Cassidy, walked over, also wearing the uniform of a bottom-ranking fighter. "We've been put on a leave rotation!"

"You're serious!" Cassidy said, leaning forward. "Well, that's a good sign," she continued, "maybe the Boss has forgiven us?"

"Somehow, I doubt it," Butch said. When he and Cassidy had returned from the fiasco on Giovanni's private yacht, the _Thunderball _(where they had firstly failed to break Ash Ketchum's will, and then let him escape to oppose Team Rocket again) they had been busted down to the ranks. They were now mere Dan'in once again. Both of them knew that there was very little chance of them ever reaching the heights of 'black' team senior field agents ever again.

"I prefer to hope," Cassidy said quietly. Cassidy had always preferred field operations to any other duty. She had promised herself she would return to them one day. She also promised herself that she would get back her Pokémon. When the Boss had cashiered her and Butch, their Pokémon teams had been confiscated.

Butch shook his head at the unlikeness of such an outcome, but he kept his face turned from Cassidy so she would not be affected by his cynicism. "So… uh… what do you think we should do now we've been given leave?" he asked.

***

"Black Island," Ash said, pointing to the diamond-shaped island on his map. He and his friends were standing on the sandy southern beaches near Fuchsia City, looking out into the expanse of the Indigo Sea. "It's exactly due south-east of here. He looked around at his friends. "If any of you, _any_ of you don't want to come, you can go back to Pallet Town now and there will be no blame from me or anyone else."

Ash looked around at his friends and tried to measure their feelings and their morale. 

Brock looked stern and determined. Now that a future had suddenly and unexpectedly presented itself to him, the former Pewter City gym leader wanted this wasteful and time-consuming conflict over for good. 

Jessie and James didn't look afraid, they looked determined. Both of them knew that they would never _really_ be free until Team Rocket was defeated. Besides, for one reason or another, they both had a debt they owed that organisation.

Joy _was_ nervous and afraid, and who could blame her? She was a doctor and a healer, not a warrior. However, she wasn't about to lose Brock now she had found him again. She fully intended to stick to his side through thick and thin.

Misty looked… well she was the most beautiful sight that Ash had ever seen. There was a determination in her eyes, and when she caught his gaze, she communicated a trust and belief in him that took his breath away. She would follow him anywhere. She knew he could win so long as he believed in himself.

Ash nodded. "Okay, is everyone clear on what they should do?" There were five nearly simultaneous nods. "One last chance," Ash said. "If anyone has a better plan, or any amendments that they think are necessary to our current battle plan, now is the time to tell me." The others looked at him for a moment. _Nuts_, Ash thought. He was suffering from considerable performance anxiety. After all, this was the big one.

[Ash,] Raichu said gently. Ash looked at his oldest friend. [They believe in you, as do all your Pokémon and I.] Ash nodded slightly with a smile as Raichu continued. [This is the moment for which you were born,] the electric-type announced. [Do not doubt yourself, my friend. Believe in yourself. For if you believe, there is nothing you cannot do.]

Ash smiled gently, thankful for Raichu's reassurance, and pulled a blue-and-white aqua-type Pokéball from his bandoleer. "Okay, let's do it," he said. "Lapras, I choose you!" Ash's wide-bodied water/ice-type materialised and hit the surf with a big splash.

"Go Gyarados!" Misty commanded, releasing her oldest Pokémon. The water snake dived into the ocean and swung around to face his Trainer.

"Gyarados, I choose you!" James called as he released the only birthday present he had ever received from his parents that had mattered to him. Gyarados roared in defiance and curved around to face his Trainer and his Trainer's mate, obediently awaiting his command.

"Omastar, go!" Brock commanded, releasing his fossil/water-type crustacean. He and Joy clambered up onto Omastar's huge shell and settled in between the radial ridges near the peak.

[Okay, let's go!] Raichu shouted, pointing forwards from where he hung on Ash's back.

"Let's Surf, people!" Ash called. The six Thunderbolts issued the appropriate command to their chosen water-types and they swept away from the coast, heading south-east for Black Island and towards the embrace of destiny.

The journey was long, and it was dangerous for the unwary. Black Island was Team Rocket's stronghold, the centre of Giovanni diRocketti's personal empire and he was not so foolish as to leave it undefended. Anti-submarine nets and minefields surrounded the island. Batteries of anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles peered malevolently out from their emplacements along the mighty volcanic ridge that bisected the island. Regular air and sea patrols also guarded the approach to the island.

However, this was not a normal time for Team Rocket. The attacks on the organisation's hidden bases in Kanto had deprived it of much of its' manpower in the region and reduced the number of patrols they could mount. Ash had carefully planned this phase of the operation and he was confident that he and his friends could reach the island safely.

They were travelling under the cover of Lapras' Haze attack, invisible under a blanket of fog. Overhead, Brock and Ash's Magnetons were generating a low-level electronic field that jammed radar broadcasts coming in their direction. Unless someone actually came into visual contact with the mysterious fog bank, it was unlikely that anyone would even know it had been there.

There was a nasty moment when Jessie's Fearaven spotted a patrol aircraft approaching. Fortunately, Ash had guessed something like this could happen. He and his friends had drilled his counter-move over the past week. Everyone put on their scuba masks; Lapras dispelled her Haze attack and the water-type Pokémon all dived underneath the surface. Apart from seeing two Magnetons hovering over the ocean and a Fearaven circling far above, the Rockets on the 'plane saw nothing of interest, and certainly nothing worth reporting to the increasingly nervous powers that be.

Finally, they arrived at a sheer cliff edge. Ash looked around at his friends. There were five nods. They were all ready. Misty's Jumpluff spiralled down to its' trainer and reported that the cliff was clear of detection apparatus and enemy patrols. Ash was glad to hear that. He had spent a lot of time, money and a lot of Professor Oak's favours in getting the latest UNDF intelligence estimate on Black Island's defences. It was good to know it had been worth the expense. 

Ash reached for his bandoleer and pulled two Pokéballs off. James pulled out a Pokéball of his own. "Go Victreebell," James hissed.

"Venusaur and Meganium, I choose you," Ash said, throwing his own balls. The three plant-types materialised on the cliff edge and reached down with their powerful vine whips. The vine whips wrapped around three of the young Trainers and lifted them up to the cliff top. Seconds later, the plant-types reached down again and picked up the other three. Brock, Ash, James and Misty recalled their water-types.

The six Thunderbolts looked around the semi-tropical forest and realised that they were most certainly in enemy territory now. "Well here we are," Ash said at last. "Black Island."

"I never thought that we'd come back here ever again," Jessie added. James nodded. He felt incredibly nervous at what he knew had to come over the next day or so. Victreebell sensed her Trainer's fears and attempted to reassure him… by sticking his head in her bell and pumping muscle-relaxing biochemicals all over him.

There was a little hastily suppressed laughter and the other five managed to free James from his plant-type's well-meaning embrace.

There was a pause while the Thunderbolts swapped Pokémon, selecting those best suited to act as scouts: Ash's Yanma, Misty's Houndoom, Brock's Crobat, Jessie's Sandslash and James' Beedrill. With their Pokémon in the lead, the six young heroes worked their way deeper into the enemy camp.

***

Not that far away, a round-faced white-haired man in a stone-brown uniform and a nondescript man in a green uniform were watching Giovanni diRocketti. The supreme leader of Team Rocket had been working non-stop since the destruction of Viridian Tower Base and Mondo had just found him collapsed on the floor of his darkened office apparently suffering from some kind of fit. Mondo had lifted his oldest friend onto the couch he kept in his office in case he had to stay here rather than go to his palatial quarters and then had summoned Team Rocket's most senior doctor.

Even now, as Mondo and Dr. Williker looked on, Giovanni wasn't sleeping; he wasn't even really relaxing. He was just lying there, his eyes closed, a nervous tick distorting his already-scarred face as unknown demons battered at his consciousness.

"He's falling apart physically and emotionally," Mondo said quietly. "Doctor, he has to rest or he will destroy himself."

Williker had been horrified when he saw the state Giovanni was in. He could only nod mutely. After a moment, he opened his medical bag and pulled out a pneumatic hypospray. He loaded in a cartridge of sedative. "This will give him a few hours sleep," he announced. "After that…" Williker shrugged. After that depended entirely on the patient, as both of them knew.

"Proceed," Mondo said sadly. He owed Giovanni a lot, indeed he regarded the man lying before him as the closest and most beloved friend he had ever known. However, somehow having to fight his estranged son had slowly driven the man to the edge of mental and emotional collapse. Mondo _wanted_ to help him, but he didn't know how. And as Giovanni's emotional stability continued to decay, the veteran Rocket found himself cataloguing how this was so clearly the final result of a decline that seemed to have lasted decades. Even now, he could still hear Delilah's voice telling him that Giovanni had gone mad… 

Mondo shook his head to clear it as Williker leaned forward and injected the sedative into Giovanni's jugular vein. 

Suddenly, the man was on his feet. "You!" he barked at Williker. "What are you doing here? Don't you have duties to perform?"

"I… er…" Williker looked at Mondo helplessly. Perhaps only he saw Giovanni's most trusted lieutenant nod discreetly. "I'm attending to Council Member Jones, sir," he told Giovanni. "He is sick and…"

"The cancer is inoperable and he is dying," Giovanni snapped. "He already knows that, man. I told him myself. Stop wasting his time with your quackery!" Giovanni turned to Mondo and grabbed hold of his arms. "Mondo, have the engineers re-construct the meeting hall on level 30 to function as a Pokémon Arena," he ordered harshly. Mondo opened his mouth, but Giovanni rode right over him. "No questions, old friend. I think I can still win this, but I must have a free hand." Giovanni released his oldest friend and turned away, biting a thumbnail in an excess of tension. "Jessie," he announced. "She could have been the key. Butch and Cassidy shouldn't have driven her and James away. _Damn_ them both! Always, _always_ those idiotic thugs seem to lie in the path of my plans. Always I have to deal with the imperfect creatures that I must trust to bring my will to its' object. Well, no more…"

Behind Giovanni's back, Williker was looking at his watch and counting down. Suddenly, Giovanni's eyes rolled up into his skull. Mondo and Williker leapt forward and caught him before he could fall. They eased him back onto the couch. Williker took Giovanni's pulse and blood pressure and seemed satisfied. "He'll have about four hours sleep all told," he told Mondo.

"Good work, Doctor," Mondo said, dismissing him with a nod of his head.

After Williker left, Mondo ripped down one of the priceless wall hangings and tucked them around Giovanni's still form like a multi-million dollar blanket. For a long moment he stood there, watching his best friend's relaxed face, and the twitching of his eyes. Mondo wondered for a moment who and what Giovanni dreamt of.

Mondo was about to leave when, on a sudden whim, he did something he would have never dared to do if his leader and friend were awake. He placed a gentle kiss on his lips. Then he left. He, seemingly like all of Team Rocket, had little time left, and he had preparations to make.

***

"So, what am I looking at?" Ash asked as he peered through his macrobinoculars at the work going on in the field below him.

His half-sister was lying next to him under the cover of a bush, looking at the activity through her own trusty pair of binoculars, which had been with he through thick and thin. "That, Ash dear, is our father's conception of the perfect agricultural operation," she announced. "Slave labour combined with high levels of automation and a complete disregard for the happiness of the people doing the actual growing of the food and making of the tools."

Ash couldn't believe he had just heard that. "_Slave_ labour?" he repeated. "Slavery was abolished half a century ago, according to what they teach us at school."

"Abolished in the outside world, perhaps," Jessie said in a cynical tone, "but not in Giovanni's 'perfect' society. He wants to create a completely orderly social structure. That includes a completely powerless and obedient 'worker caste.'"

Ash shuddered. "You seem to know a lot about this," he said.

Jessie felt ill as she watched what was going on in the field through her binoculars. "Oh, they tell us all about it when we join Team Rocket," she said. "The tutors in the indoctrination classes make it sound very reasonable and desirable. Somehow, I never realised how _wrong_ it was until I suddenly realised Team Rocket itself was evil."

Ash nodded and continued to watch the events in the field below them. He had a hard time believing what he was seeing, but somehow it shouldn't have come as such a surprise to him. Hadn't Professor Oak told him that when Joseph Oak became Giovanni diRocketti that he had become obsessed with 'order' rather than freedom? Well here was the proof.

The people toiling in the fields were from all ethnic backgrounds and ranged in age from about ten to as old as fifty, as far as Ash could tell. However, what attracted his attention were the drab standardised clothes they were wearing. Clearly designed for their utility and their ease of production, they reflected none of their owner's personality or preferences. A nasty, cynical part of Ash figured that 'preferences' might be illegal in Giovanni's little shot at creating a utopia. Similarly, they were all wearing completely identical wide-brimmed hats to protect them from the sun, and he could see that their hair was all shorn into crew cuts. It was impossible from this distance to see anything individual, or even their genders.

"What are those necklaces?" Ash asked. He increased the zoom of his macrobinoculars and noted that every one of the "worker's" was wearing a silver collar which reminded him a little of the heavy collars that were used to keep guard-trained Houndoom restrained during the daytime. As far as he could tell from his distant vantage point, the damn things were _padlocked_ to the person wearing them.

"I've never seen one before, but I'll bet that those are 'Discipline Collars,'" Jessie said in a flat, emotionless tone of voice. Ash lowered his binoculars and shot his half-sister a confused look. "This is the first time for me, too, Ash," she said, sounding a bit desolate. "Giovanni only lets Rockets out here who he thinks have got the right 'outlook' to understand what they are seeing."

Ash nodded. Well _there_ was a surprise. "What do those things do?" Ash asked.

"They are control stunners, similar to the ones Team Rocket use for controlling recently-stolen Pokémon," Jessie explained. "See those black rods on the belts of those guards?" 

Ash moved his binoculars and looked at the six Dan'in who were apparently supervising. They were all male, extremely heavily built and, by the looks of their faces, they enjoyed inflicting pain. They were leaning against the side of one of the trucks onto which the workers were loading tubers, either turnips or potatoes. They were grinning at each other sadistically and laughing at something. Occasionally, they would kick out at one of the workers to encourage them to greater efforts. On all their belts was something that looked like a heavy-duty torch. "I see them," Ash said.

"Those are control units for the stunners," Jessie said. "There are four settings from what I remember Butch telling me once. Setting One is a sting setting, not really painful, but the sort of pain you wouldn't be in a hurry to experience. Setting Four is agony, like having every nerve in your body exposed and electrified." Ash swallowed his own nausea. Jessie continued in a tone of voice that told him that she had a lot of nightmares about this innovation. "There are two other settings, known as 'Zero' and 'Minus One.' They stimulate the delta rhythms of the brain and cause near-sexual pleasure, just so the Drones know that it is in their best interests to do as they are told."

"This is a nightmare," Ash said unnecessarily. 

Jessie nodded gently. "Giovanni seems to think that the island works better this way. There is one other feature of those Discipline Collars that I have just remembered. If you attempt to remove them, or if your supervisor transmits a six-digit code that only he knows, a three-pound plastic explosive charge blows your head off."

Ash jumped at hearing that. "I can't believe that Giovanni has been allowed to get away with this so long," he said. He realised that that was a naïve thing to say, even before Jessie could say it. He had no doubt that Giovanni didn't encourage visitors, so who knew about this? Of course, the UN probably knew, as did the nuclear superpowers. However, none of them were about to risk starting a war with a terrorist organisation with established forces on every continent over the treatment of a few thousand luckless souls. Besides, Black Island was technically a sovereign nation in its' own right. The UN and other powers had no jurisdiction here. However, these were technicalities that didn't make what was taking place any less horrifying.

"This used to be a happy little island, I'm told," Jessie said unhappily. "A few small fishing villages and a small city in the south. Then Team Rocket moved in and within a few _months_ Giovanni had turned it into this totalitarian nightmare."

At that moment, something happened that broke Ash's heart. Two of the Dan'in jumped forwards and grabbed one of the workers and dragged her away from the row of plants where she was helping harvest the crop. Ash only realised it was a girl when one of the Rockets tore at her uniform top, exposing her youthful bust. She couldn't be older than thirteen years old. From Ash's distant vantage point, he could see her mouth open in a scream of terror. A male worker (perhaps her father? There was no way to tell) stood up and seemed to protest. The second slave supervisor pulled his control rod and pressed a button. The man dropped to the ground and started thrashing helplessly. All six Rockets laughed scornfully. The first two dragged the screaming girl away towards what looked like an orchard.

Ash was about to get up and go down there to intervene when Jessie suddenly landed on his back, pinning him to the ground. "It happens too often," she whispered into his ear. "I heard that Giovanni officially frowns upon rape, but he lets the supervisors get away with it as a reward for keeping the Drones in line." Ash looked up at Jessie angrily. "There's nothing you can do, without exposing our presence here," Jessie reminded her brother and leader quietly. "If you want to do those victims any good, Ash, you'll do whatever you are intending to do to stop Team Rocket for good."

Ash swallowed as he tucked away his binoculars. He was unable to look on any longer. He _understood_ why he could not interfere, but he knew that he would never, ever stop seeing that girl's terrified expression whenever he closed his eyes for even a moment. "Tell me everything you know about the set-up here," he said.

***

"I can't believe that you knew about this and did _nothing_!" Ash nearly shouted.

"Ash, I didn't know _anything_," Jessie said. "None of the ordinary Field Agents know how the areas already under the Team's control are run. Only the Slave Supervisors are allowed out here. I only knew rumours mostly. What I told you out there I learnt from Butch. He was one of _them_ before Cassidy selected him to replace me as her partner!" Jessie waved her hands in agitation, horror-struck by what she had seen and accusing herself far more effectively than Ash could accuse her. "We were told that the people of Black Island were living in the perfect society and were happy! We didn't have _any _reason to believe otherwise. Besides," Jessie sighed and sagged, "we were carefully manipulated so we wouldn't care."

Ash drew in a deep breath, fighting tears. Misty had sat down next to him and was rubbing his back, trying to comfort him. Raichu had curled up on his lap and was also trying to help. "He is a monster," Ash said at last. "To do that to people…"

"Ash, I know," Jessie said.

"Ash, by beating Giovanni, you will help them," Brock said calmly. "Rushing around causing a ruckus and exposing our presence to Team Rocket won't do anyone any good."

"Knowing that is true doesn't make me feel any better," Ash said with a deep, defeated sigh. He looked around. "Where's James?" he asked.

"I sent him to check out what is down the service road just south of here," Misty said.

Ash was about to protest at taking such a risk when James and Meowth appeared. James looked dark and grim and Meowth looked like he had seen his worst nightmare come true. "That…" he shook his head and suddenly fell to his knees. "That was a nightmare," he said at last. Joy ran over and began to check the former Rocket over for injuries, in the process getting in Jessie's way as she ran over to do the same.

Ash waited calmly, realising that hurrying and panicking couldn't help his friend right now. He waited until both women were sure James was _physically_ intact before speaking. "Everything about the set-up on this island seems to be a nightmare," he said darkly. "What did you see, James?"

"Mass kidnap," James said. He gestured over his shoulder. "About half a mile down the road, there is a worker's village. I just saw every child over three years old picked up by a squad of Dan'in, snatched from its families in some cases. The screams…" James shook his head. "I don't want to imagine what those kids were being taken away for, but I'll bet it wasn't pleasant."

James sagged to his knees in fatigue. Jessie knelt beside him and hugged him, trying to comfort him. "As I told Ash, we'll stop this nightmare for good," Jessie said.

"One way or another," Ash said. Misty was hugging him, looking horrified. It was one thing to intellectually _know_ the level of evil that Giovanni represented, but to have seen it, and in her case to have heard the descriptions, was almost too much for a bunch of such young people to bear. Misty had begun to cry, and Ash held her gently, trying to soothe her.

"The funny thing was…" James shook his head. "There were no kids younger than ten there, I'm sure of it." James' normally pale face had taken on a positively deathly aspect. "I heard rumours when I worked at Headquarters," he continued in a quieter tone of voice. "I never expected something like _this_ though…" He shook his head again and let Jessie hug him as tears began to trickle down his cheeks.

"Da Boss has some weird ideas about how ta make the world work," Meowth said quietly. There was a long pause as everyone tried to absorb everything they had learned in the last few hours.

"They are _evil_," Brock suddenly announced in the quiet clearing, his voice harsh and determined. "I never thought I would say that about another human being. I was brought up to believe that every person has to have some good in them. But the people who do this can't have any good in them. Killing people like this isn't murder, it's _garbage disposal_." Brock looked around at his friends, holding Joy's hand tightly. "We can't let this go on for one more day." 

Joy nodded firmly in agreement with her fiancée's sentiments. "These are the sort of horrors that have supposed to be extinct since the Twentieth Century," she said. "I can't believe that no one has done something about this before."

"It has to stop," Brock added. He looked at Ash. "It _will_ stop, won't it Ash?"

"It will," Ash said, his voice toneless and harsh. "I promise you that much, Brock. One way or another, it will end."

***

After setting out their perimeter defences and setting out their camp, the Thunderbolts prepared their lunches. There was little talk. They should have been discussing the strategy and tactics of their upcoming moves, but all of them were too horrified by what they had seen to even think of such things. They were all trying to come to terms with what they had seen or had heard described. None of them believed that they would sleep well that night.

"Ash," James said quietly. He had appeared at Ash's side with Jessie with him. Meowth was there too, looking nervous.

"What is it, buddy?" Ash asked.

"Butch and Cassidy. I know where they are," James announced. Ash stiffened unconsciously. He knew that James had sworn revenge on those two for their part in the massacre of his family. He looked into James' eyes and saw the anger and _hatred_ shining out. It worried him. He knew what lay down the path for people who surrendered to feelings like this.

"James…" he said helplessly. "James, we are going to move against Giovanni tomorrow," he reminded the man. "When he is finished, we can deal with the others at leisure." James was about to protest. Ash held his hands up, asking for silence, and then continued. "James, I know how you feel about them, after what happened to Pallet Town and Gary's involvement, I can't _help_ but know." Ash sighed and drew in a deep breath. "The point is, though, that I've learnt we can't let our own personal agendas dominate us. We've got to look at the big picture. And James, we've got to resist certain… temptations, or we are no better than them."

James looked at Ash levelly, nodding as his friend spelt out his position. Just when Ash was hoping that he had talked James out of revenge, he spoke up. "I understand how you feel, Ash, but this is something I _have_ to do," he replied. "They massacred my family, with malice and forethought. I swore that day, six months ago now, that I would have revenge on those two for the horrors they perpetrated." James was shuddering with fury. "They committed horrors and _enjoyed_ it, Ash. I owe it to my parents to extract recompense."

Ash looked at James in worry. "Okay," he said suddenly, changing tack entirely. "Let's say you go out there and kill them. Then what? Do you think that will change anything? Do you think it will bring Jessibelle or your parents back to life?"

"No," James said, his voice icy. "However, I know it will settle my debt to them, and let me carry on with my life."

Ash turned his appealing gaze to Jessie and Meowth. "Jessie…" he began.

"Where James goes, I go," Jessie announced quietly. "That was the deal, Ash. You know that."

"Meowth! Dere's just some tings dat a guy's gotta do, Ash," Meowth added.

Ash looked at James again, and realised that this was one of those 'friendship' moments. Fundamentally, did he trust James to do the right thing? In these circumstances, he didn't. However, given the horrors that were taking place all around him, he couldn't blame the former Rocket for breaking like this. 

What was more, having come so close to killing Gary for his abominable crimes, Ash realised that he understood James' need for revenge. And Butch and Cassidy had done things far worse than Gary had ever done. It wasn't their place to be judge, jury and executioner, Professor Oak had warned. _If not us_, a cynical part of Ash now remarked, _who else?_

"Okay," Ash said. "We move against Team Rocket at dawn tomorrow. I want you three back here by then."

James nodded in thanks. He touched Ash on the arm. "You are doing the right thing, my friend," he said. "Thank you."

Ash watched them go. "Where are they going, Ash?" Misty asked, walking up to her lover and touching his arm.

"To pay an old debt," Ash replied. "I just hope I'm doing the right thing letting them go. This could go _so_ wrong it doesn't bear thinking about." Misty nodded wisely. They all knew that James was fundamentally in Team Thunderbolt for revenge; Jessie was in Team Thunderbolt because of James. If Ash had ordered them not to go, they would have still gone.

Ash suddenly moved away from Misty and was moving towards the edge of the camp. His movements were… _predatory_ somehow, as if the man Ash Ketchum were being submerged by millions of years of hunter's instinct. "Ash, were are you going?" Misty hissed.

"I'm going to… um… check out the lay of the land," Ash replied. "You stay here, Mist."

"If you think I'm letting you out in this Kafka nightmare _alone_…" Misty began.

"_Stay here_," Ash repeated. "I'll be back before dawn." With that, he was gone in the forest. Misty looked around and noted that he had taken Raichu and his Pokéball bandoleer with him.

"Ash!" she cried out quietly. Tears began to fall from her eyes. 

Brock appeared at her side. "What is it?" 

"Ash has gone out there alone," Misty said, her voice tinged with horror. "Brock, I don't know what he is going to do out there after seeing those Black Rockets rape that poor child."

"He probably feels responsible," Brock said calmly and gently. "Misty, you saw how what he saw this morning affected him. You must give him the space to decide what to do." Misty sucked in a deep breath, still crying. She looked in the direction her lover had departed and allowed Brock to manoeuvre her back to the thermal lantern that was serving as a campfire tonight. "Do you trust him to do the right thing?" Brock asked.

"I… yes… I guess," Misty said at last. She _did_ trust Ash, after all. But he had come so close to falling before, she was afraid of what might happen if he let his anger and horror at what was happening out of his control. He _needed_ her to keep his balance; she knew that.

"Then trust him now," Brock said firmly. "Misty, you know that Ash is a good person. You can be sure that he would never betray your love."

Misty took one last look over her shoulder. She wished she could convince herself of that as easily as Brock had convinced himself.

***

The two Dan'in Slave Supervisors, call them Rod and Stu, were walking back down the service road from the worker's village where they had dropped the girl they had used for some impromptu recreation. They were congratulating themselves on having chosen such a fine, virginal subject and were laughing about how they had made her thrash and scream.

"Man, this makes all the boring days out here with the Drones worth it," Stu laughed.

"I still haven't forgiven you for taking her first, man," Rod replied darkly. "This was _my _idea!"

"Hey, you've got to be fast or your dead, pal," Stu sneered. "You were enjoying using level-3 on her old man too much. I think I know what _you_ do on your leave!"

Rod snarled and looked away. Suddenly, there was the brightest flash they had ever seen and they saw something that they would remember for the rest of their lives. A tall, heavily built, black-haired man was standing on the service road, glaring at them dangerously. A Raichu was standing at his side, emitting the light from his body as if he were a portable lantern. A Blissey and, of all things, A Kingler were also with the man.

"Who the fuck are you?" Rod snarled.

"Raichu, Thunder-shock," the man replied. The massive electrostatic pulse smashed into Rod and Stu, blowing them back a dozen yards and shorting out their every voluntary nerve ending.

…

When they came around, they were bound hand and foot and in an unfamiliar clearing. "Are you awake?" the man asked.

"Pal, you are in more trouble than you know," Rod snarled.

"Actually, I think you are right," Ash Ketchum announced. "However, it isn't as much trouble as you two are in. Tell me, did you enjoy violating that poor child this morning?"

"What… what the fuck has that to do with you, man?" Stu asked.

"There is a strange old tradition," Ash said. "The Hebrews started it, almost four thousand years ago now. If someone commits a crime, then a member of the victim's family have the responsibility to extract vengeance for that crime." Ash walked over and grinned down at the two bound Dan'in, his smile conveying no warmth whatsoever. "I doubt that that poor kid has much of a family. Even if she does, I don't think that they could do much to you two." 

Ash reached forward and pulled off Rod's belt before continuing. "However, I am family, the son, actually, of your Boss. Since he runs this show, I suppose that means that the responsibility must fall on me." Ash casually pulled off Stu's belt. At a single gesture of his head, Raichu and Blissey began to pull the two terrified Rockets' trousers and jocks down their legs.

"W… what are you going to do?" Stu squeaked.

"The person who had the responsibility to extract vengeance was called 'The Avenger,'" Ash remarked in the same clinically detached tone of voice, as if Stu hadn't spoken at all. "'The Avenger of Blood.' Pretty poetic, don't you think?" He looked down at the two half-naked slave supervisors. His chocolate-brown eyes filled with no recognisable human emotion. "I should warn you that my Pokémon and I haven't done this before. Hell, we haven't even _practised_ something like this before, so I am afraid that it _might_ just hurt a little bit more than it would if this was done in a proper hospital. Still, I've got my Blissey here, just in case things get a bit hot."

Ash gestured again and Kingler walked forward, clicking his deadly pincers that could cut through inch-thick sheet steel as he walked over to stand over Rod's genitals. "Feel free to scream as much as you like," Ash said. "I don't mind."

__

To be continued…


	4. Avenger

**__**

Pokémon

Avenger – A Pokémon epic by BenRG

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Legal Disclaimer

Pokémon, the Pocket Monsters and their human friends and enemies are all the sole copyright and trademark property of Nintendo Entertainment and 4 Kids Productions. No breach of any copyright or legal property is intended.

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Author's Notes

This is the last part of my first _Pokémon_ fic. As sad as it is, after all this time I _still_ don't know all the monsters or all the moves. I base my story purely on what I've seen of the cartoon and absorbed from other fan works. I thank all the other Pokémon writers on this board for providing plenty of inspiration. Special thanks to Charles "RocketBoy" Reilly, Wind, Joshua Falken, Chuchino and Catalina Storm for their comments, advice and encouragement.

Text in [squared-off brackets] indicates the translation of a Pokémon's language into English.

Text in _Italics_ but not in quotes indicates thoughts.

Text in "_quotes and italics_" is speech from a speaker, telephone or some other electronic means

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This is an Alternate Universe story

Ages: Ash is 17 and Misty has just turned 19; Brock is 25; Jessie and James are both 24; Richie is 17; Duplicia is 18; Sabrina is 24; Lance is 16; Joy is 29; Delilah is 38; Professor Oak is 47; Gary is 18.

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Censor: R (Equivalent to UK '15' Certificate)

Content Warning: Swearing, explicit violence, description of injuries, implied sexual activity (including non-con) and mature topics.

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Book 3 – The Return of the Crusaders

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What has gone before…

It is the mid-twenty-first century, and in the land of Kanto, a war has begun. The heroic young Pokémon trainers known as Team Thunderbolt are waging a terrible struggle against the evil worldwide terrorist organisation Team Rocket. Leading these young heroes is Ash Ketchum, one of the greatest Pokémon trainers ever to have lived. Leading Team Rocket is the insane Giovanni diRocketti, the man once known as Joseph Oak, Ash's father.

Now, with the scars of the most recent battle between the forces of Team Rocket and Team Thunderbolt beginning to heal, Ash and his friends realise that they cannot fight this war forever. If peace and hope are to be restored to the people of the Kanto Islands, then they must take the war directly to the man directly responsible for starting it in the first place. 

With that goal in mind, Ash, Jessie, James, Misty, Brock and Joy have landed on Black Island, the home of Team Rocket's Headquarters. There they see first-hand the depraved barbarity of Giovanni's 'Utopia' and this horror leads two members of Team Thunderbolt to come to a hard decision…

***

"Ash," James said quietly. He had appeared at Ash's side with Jessie with him. Meowth was there too, looking nervous.

"What is it, buddy?" Ash asked.

"Butch and Cassidy. I know where they are," James announced. Ash stiffened unconsciously. He knew that James had sworn revenge on those two for their part in the massacre of his family. He looked into James' eyes and saw the anger and _hatred_ shining out. It worried him. He knew what lay down the path for people who surrendered to feelings like this.

Ash looked at James in worry. "Okay," he said suddenly, changing tack entirely. "Let's say you go out there and kill them. Then what? Do you think that will change anything? Do you think it will bring Jessibelle or your parents back to life?"

"No," James said, his voice icy. "However, I know it will settle my debt to them, and let me carry on with my life."

Ash turned his appealing gaze to Jessie and Meowth. "Jessie…" he began.

"Where James goes, I go," Jessie announced quietly. "That was the deal, Ash. You know that."

"Meowth! Dere's just some tings dat a guy's gotta do, Ash," Meowth added.

Ash looked at James again, and realised that this was one of those 'friendship' moments. Fundamentally, did he trust James to do the right thing? In these circumstances, he didn't. However, given the horrors that were taking place all around him, he couldn't blame the former Rocket for breaking like this. 

What was more, having come so close to killing Gary for his abominable crimes, Ash realised that he understood James' need for revenge. And Butch and Cassidy had done things far worse than Gary had ever done. It wasn't their place to be judge, jury and executioner, Professor Oak had warned. _If not us_, a cynical part of Ash now remarked, _who else?_

"Okay," Ash said. "We move against Team Rocket at dawn tomorrow. I want you three back here by then."

James nodded in thanks. He touched Ash on the arm. "You are doing the right thing, my friend," he said. "Thank you."

Ash watched them go. "Where are they going, Ash?" Misty asked, walking up to her lover and touching his arm.

"To pay an old debt," Ash replied. "I just hope I'm doing the right thing letting them go. This could go _so_ wrong it doesn't bear thinking about." Misty nodded wisely. They all knew that James was fundamentally in Team Thunderbolt for revenge; Jessie was in Team Thunderbolt because of James. If Ash had ordered them not to go, they would have still gone.

Ash suddenly moved away from Misty and was moving towards the edge of the camp. His movements were… _predatory_ somehow, as if the man Ash Ketchum were being submerged by millions of years of hunter's instinct. "Ash, were are you going?" Misty hissed.

"I'm going to… um… check out the lay of the land," Ash replied. "You stay here, Mist."

"If you think I'm letting you out in this Kafka nightmare _alone_…" Misty began.

"_Stay here_," Ash repeated. "I'll be back before dawn." With that, he was gone in the forest. Misty looked around and noted that he had taken Raichu and his Pokéball bandoleer with him.

__

And now, the continuation…

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Chapter 4 – Avenger

The young woman, known only as 'Nicola,' backed up against the tree trunk and looked hopelessly around at her three assailants. She had been outside of Worker's Village No. 7, looking for some herbs to improve slightly the taste of the insipid broth upon which the workers on Black Island had to subsist. Suddenly, three of the hated 'Overseers' suddenly appeared out of the darkness.

The three charcoal-grey-uniformed men grinned at her lustfully. "Well, what have we got here?" one sneered. "A nice pretty worker to help keep us entertained!" Nicola made a child-like whimpering sound and tried to back away further. The lead Overseer smirked and stroked his hand through her brunette hair, short cut as per regulations. Nicola cowered back as he began to stroke one of her breasts. "Aw, don't be like that pretty!" he continued in a sneering tone of voice. "We enjoy it; so should you!"

"P… please, don't," Nicola finally managed to whisper out, folding her arms around herself in an automatic defensive gesture. "Don't."

"Now that isn't nice," one of the other two said. He suddenly leaned forwards, grabbed her roughly by the front of her coveralls and yanked her forwards. He twisted his grip to tear the thin paper-like material and kissed her roughly on the side of her neck.

"_No_!" Nicola screamed and pushed him away.

The Overseer scowled dangerously. "You're being a _bad _little slave bitch," he said. Nicola's eyes opened wide in horror as he pulled the control device off of his belt, twisted the base to select a punishment setting and pressed the red actuator stud. Nicola's nervous system seemed to explode in agony and she very nearly blacked out. Repeated experiences had allowed her to develop some level of immunity to the control stunner, so she was still conscious enough to hear her voice screaming in the still, tropical night.

When the pain finally ceased, Nicola was lying on the ground, her body twitching helplessly. She couldn't move, her nervous system overloaded by the prolonged punishment. The first Overseer stepped over Nicola and grinned down at her as he adjusted his belt. She knew what was going to happen now. It had happened many times before. She felt her body tense and go stiff as she automatically tried to make herself as unresponsive as possible in the hope that if she was boring, the Overseers would just leave her alone after a while.

"Get away from that girl," another voice suddenly demanded. 

The lead Overseer scowled and turned to face the new speaker. He just had enough time to open his mouth to demand to know who was there when a massive storm of blue-white lightning bolts suddenly lashed out and impaled his body like electric arrows. The man stiffened and began to scream, his body shaking like a tree in a hurricane-force wind. Finally, the attack stopped and the man collapsed nervelessly almost right next to his would-be victim.

The other two Dan'in Slave Supervisors stared stupidly at the intruder. It was a man dressed in black clothes. He had a Raichu sitting at his side. One of the slave supervisors stepped forward. "You are going to pay for that, pal," he snarled. "For that _and_ for having a Pokémon when the law is clear!" The man raised his control rod, selected setting four (the highest pain setting) and pressed the actuator. To his utter shock, nothing happened. He pressed the actuator again. Still nothing.

The Overseer was still staring at the control rod stupidly when the intruder stepped forward, grabbed his extended arm, twisted it and drove it hard against his knee, breaking both bones in the supervisor's lower arm. The man dropped his control rod and had enough time to scream in agony before an elbow slammed into his solar plexus, robbing him of breath. Then the back of a fist swung up and slammed into his nose, shattering the cartilage and knocking him unconscious.

The remaining supervisor suddenly realised that this intruder wasn't a worker, the man was something that he never thought to see: an outsider on Black Island. Realising that he was in deep trouble, he turned to flee. "Oh no you don't," the intruder shouted. "Raichu, use Zap Cannon attack!" There was a massive blue-white flash, which briefly connected the Raichu and the fleeing slave supervisor. The man burst into flames and fell, lifeless, at the base of a tree.

The first supervisor was on his feet again. He was too badly hurt to know exactly what was happening, but he was smart enough to know that the drone that he and his pals were about to enjoy themselves with was somehow the key. He grabbed Nicola and put the jagged blade of his survival knife against her throat. "Okay, scum," he snarled. "You'll back off or I'll slit this bit of slave scum's throat!"

The man looked at the supervisor levelly. "No," he replied. "You'll drop the knife and surrender or you _will _die."

The supervisor grinned. "How will you do that?" he asked. "Get your Raichu to shock me?" He tightened his grip on Nicola's shoulder. "If you do that, this bit of shit will fry too." Nicola whimpered and froze, too frightened for words.

The man in black had only one response. He pulled a Pokéball off a bandoleer that wound across his chest and threw it forwards. "Sabredance, I choose you." A massive Scyther, far larger than any the supervisor had ever seen before, materialised in front of him and his hostage. "Sabredance, use Guillotine," the intruder commanded.

The bug/fighting-type hissed viciously. It lunged forwards and planted its' front legs on Nicola's shoulders to push her downwards and out of the way. Before the supervisor could even think, let alone react, the Scyther beheaded him with a neat scissor-like blow from its' two sword-like arms. The lifeless corpse crumpled to the ground, blood pumping from the stump of the neck. Nicola finally screamed in terror. She curled up into a foetal ball and tried to make herself as small and as inconspicuous as possible.

The last surviving supervisor rose to his feet, clutching his shattered arm to his side, and looked at the corpses of his two companions with an expression of utter panic. In less than two minutes, he had gone from arrogant oppressor to terrified victim. "You… you're a psycho!" he blurted. He turned to run.

"Oh no you don't," the intruder declared. "Sabredance, stop him! Use Slash!" The giant preying mantis jumped into the air and landed in front of the fleeing man. The man opened his mouth to scream before the Scyther lashed out with one of its' forelimbs and neatly disembowelled him. The supervisor made a high-pitched sound of panic and agony. He automatically tried to hold his intestines in and fell to his knees. After a few moments, his arms went limp, letting his tubing roll out onto the ground and he fell limply onto his back. 

The supervisor looked up at the intruder as he walked over with his Raichu. He looked imploringly at the man standing over him, his eyes filled with tears of agony. "W… Why?" he asked in a desperate tone of voice.

His killer smiled at him dangerously. "You even have to ask when you were about to rape that girl?" he replied. "As my good friend Brock said, killing your kind isn't murder. It's garbage disposal."

"W… who are you?" the supervisor asked. He could feel his perceptions beginning to soften and blur. Was this death?

The man raised a mocking eyebrow. "I'm God's own personal executioner, filth," the man said. "I'm Death's harbinger, and I'm going to be the last thing you see before you go to Hell. Finish it, Sabredance." Without any measurable hesitation, the Scyther leaned forwards drove its' left arm through the man's heart.

Nicola lay as still as she could. She had no idea what was happening. All she wanted was for the violence to stop and for this man in black to vanish as mysteriously as he appeared so that she could run back to her village and try to forget that this ever happened. 

The man dropped to his knees beside Nicola, making her stiffen instinctively. _Of course, he wants his reward_, a part of her thought hopelessly. He moved her head slightly so that he could look into her eyes. Nicola looked back into his chocolate brown eyes and saw no cruelty and no lust, only anger and a lot of concern. He was _so young_! He was little more than a boy himself. "Are you okay, miss?" he asked.

"Please… please don't hurt me," Nicola begged.

"I won't. I'm here to help you," Ash Ketchum told her.

***

Nicola had backed up against a tree trunk again. The man had not made any aggressive moves towards her at all, but she wasn't reassured. 

In her limited experience of the world, the human race was divided up into three groups: Workers, Overseers and Masters. This man was obviously not a worker. He was not wearing the charcoal-grey uniform of an Overseer, so he had to be a member of the last group. Usually they wore white, black or red uniforms marked with a big red 'R,' but there was nothing else he could be, was there? He was even had a Pokémon as they did! Why was he even hesitating to use her for his own enjoyment? She couldn't understand any of this!

Ash looked at the terrified girl and sighed. He was no expert in psychology, but he could tell that his father's agents had abused her repeatedly and that this had traumatised her to the point that she simply could _not _trust him. [She is very badly hurt,] Raichu suddenly said. [Inside, I mean.]

Ash nodded. "I know pal," he said. "I wish I knew how to put it right."

[You are working on that already,] the electric squirrel reminded his friend. [Perhaps if you spoke to her, she would be able to help you further?] Ash considered that thoughtfully, looking at the girl through narrowed eyes. This clearly made her nervous.

Ash stood up and walked over to the girl. "Hi," he said, smiling reassuringly.

The girl leaned away from Ash as far as she could, looking utterly terrified. "Don't hurt me," she begged.

Ash sighed. "I won't," he said. He sat down beside her and stuck out his hand, which she stared at as if it were an Ekans. "Ash Ketchum," he said. The girl looked at him in a strange way. "That's my name," he said. "Ash Ketchum. What's yours?"

"N… Nicola," the girl replied.

Ash nodded and smiled. "That's a nice name," he said. He turned slightly and patted Raichu on the head. "This is my best friend, Raichu," he said. Raichu bobbed his head, smiled infectiously and squeaked out a greeting to the confused slave girl.

Despite herself, Nicola smiled back at the cute Pokémon. "My… My friend all call me Nikki," Nicola said at last.

"_My_ friend all call me Ash… Apart from my girlfriend, Misty," Ash said with a grin. "To her I'm either 'Ashy-boy' or, if I get her mad, 'Ketchum.'" 

Nicola laughed, although she wasn't sure why. This mysterious man was a reassuring presence and he put her at ease. Now she had to answer the question that was plaguing her. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm someone who is here to stop the hurting," Ash replied firmly. He caught Nicola's gaze and held it. "I need some help though. What can you tell me about life on this island, and the activities of Team Rocket?"

***

Cassidy Wilkes was heading back to Headquarters in her HMMVR jeep. She and Butch had spent about twelve hours touring the various Recreation Villages around the HQ compound, trying to relax. Butch's concept of 'relaxing' was to imbibe greater and greater quantities of alcohol until he couldn't even stand up, let alone talk or walk. She had left him in the inn at RV #08 and had decided to head back to HQ before her leave period was up and she got in further trouble by being out-of-barracks after curfew.

Cassidy sighed in frustration. Almost all her life she had been fighting her way up the long slippery slope to the top of the hierarchy of Team Rocket. The Organisation had promoted her to the black-uniformed senior field teams before anyone else in her graduating class and she had hoped that soon she would soon qualify to the elite red-uniformed special operations teams. Then had come the Twerps.

It had seemed such an easy assignment: Steal a Pikachu from a 10-year-old kid, but that had turned into a recurring nightmare. Operation after operation through all four provinces of Kanto went up in flames when the Twerps turned up and beat her with consummate ease. What is worse was that, time and again, her ex-lover and rival Jessie and her useless fop of a partner, James, seemed to be central to her defeat.

Cassidy's mind went back to her most recent defeat at the Twerps' hands, the one that led to her present humiliation. The Boss had tasked Butch and her with capturing Ash Ketchum and breaking his will so that he would willingly join Team Rocket. The first part of the plan went perfectly, but the second dragged out as the boy had a seemingly indestructible will. To her shame, Cassidy's own mind broke, weakened by the injuries that she had suffered at Ketchum's hands during an abortive assassination attempt several months before. Butch had no option but to report to the Boss her excessive zeal in her attempts to break Ketchum's spirit. Then, somehow, the forces of Team Thunderbolt found and attacked the luxury yacht where they were holding Ketchum and the damn Twerp escaped!

The Boss was charitable enough to spare their lives, but he had them busted down to the ranks, reduced to Dan'in 'grunts' again. This seemed to break Butch's spirit. Her partner, someone that she had once had a close emotional bond to, had lost all ambition and seemed resigned to spend the rest of his life as a grunt. Cassidy wasn't going to accept that. She was going to get to be a Red Rocket if that was the last thing that she did. Then, she would get revenge on the Twerps, and most importantly on Jessie and James, who seemed to be the central cause of every humiliation that she had ever experienced… "Holy shit!"

Cassidy slammed on the brakes and hauled the wheel of her HMMVR hard over to the left as the massive Gyarados exploded out of the woods and lunged towards the vehicle. Out of control, the jeep fishtailed and slammed hard into a tree. Cassidy was wearing her seat belt, but she still banged her head against the steering wheel. Lightly concussed, Cassidy could not resist as something tore off the door of the jeep and pulled her, seat and all, out and slammed her against the ground.

Cassidy tried to clear her wits and saw a massive pitcher plant staring down at her. "BEEEEEELLL!" the plant screamed at her in a terrifying chilling voice. The Victreebell reached out with its' vine whips and ripped Cassidy's seat belt off. It then lifted the woman out of her seat and slammed her hard against the ground again. Cassidy cried out in pain and lost consciousness for a second.

Cassidy came around when something directed a jet of water into her face. She looked up to see a nauseatingly familiar face. "James!" she hissed. James Weston sneered at her. Cassidy looked around, and saw Jessie standing under a tree a short distance away. She tried to lunge towards the ex-Rocket who she hated so much, but she couldn't move. They had tied her hand and foot. It was clear from Jessie's body language that James was running this show. Cassidy drew in a deep breath and looked up at her captor. "What do you want, traitor?" she snapped.

"Revenge," James replied in a curiously toneless voice.

"Revenge?" Cassidy snorted. "For what? All those times Butch and I showed you and Jessie up as useless failures?"

James laughed, a sound that made a shiver run up Cassidy's spine. There was too much pain, hate and anger in that laugh for her to feel safe. "You really don't know, do you?" he asked rhetorically. "Remember that mansion you and your thugs turned over before you went hunting for Ash seven months ago?" Cassidy did, but she wasn't sure how James knew about it. James smiled humourlessly. "Get ready for a surprise, you murdering monster," he said. "That was my home! Those people you killed were my _family_!"

Cassidy was suddenly very, very afraid. "Look… uh… Jeez, I didn't know!" she babbled. "James! It was nothing personal! I didn't know! But even so, you know if The Boss gives orders…"

James sighed and knelt beside Cassidy. "Oh, I know that," he said gently. "The problem is that you killed my family, destroyed my home and you enjoyed it. That means that I have a debt to pay." James had started stroking the side of Cassidy's face and she shrunk away as best as she could. "Of course, I do have to say you did me one favour," James said with a nasty smile. "You taught me that Team Rocket was evil and that I had no place in it. However, I still have a responsibility to my family."

"Please," Cassidy whispered, her eyes wide open in fear.

"Please what?" James asked. "Have mercy? The same mercy you had on my father and mother, shooting them down like animals and then desecrating their bodies? Did that amuse you, Cassidy? Well, I hope you find this _really_ funny." James stood up and gestured to someone or something to the right. Cassidy looked and gasped as a huge eight-legged bug-type Pokémon skittered over to stand astride her body. She knew what it was: A Tetrantula, one of the most dangerous bug/poison-type Pokémon known, whose venom was ten times stronger than that of an Arbok's. "Tetrantula, use Poison Sting," James commanded in a deathly calm tone of voice.

Cassidy screamed in pain and terror when the massive Pokémon drove its' hollow fangs into her chest and pumped in nearly a full pint of nerve toxin. Cassidy felt her muscles begin to spasm and she began to thrash as burning agony spread out from the punctures through her body and limbs. "P… please…" she gasped as flecks of foam began to appear at the corner of her mouth. "The… the antidote! Please!"

"Why should I give you an antidote?" James asked in a curious tone of voice. Cassidy moaned and her eyes rolled back. She began to scream continually as her body began to thrash harder than ever. The venom attacked her nervous system, making her muscles contract and relax spasmodically and randomly. She continued to flail in agony as her tendons began to snap and her bones splintered under the force of the spasms. She continued to scream until she bit her own tongue off, shattering her jaw with the power of her bite. Finally, about five minutes after Tetrantula's attack, she expired when the muscles in her chest contracted as hard as possible and stayed that way, crushing her heart and lungs until she suffocated, strangled by her own body. All the time, James just stood there, watching her death agony with an unhealthy fascination.

Somewhere to the right, Jessie was violently sick at the base of a tree. She hated Cassidy, but death from a poison-type Pokémon's venom was one of the most terrible deaths imaginable. She wouldn't wish that on the worst criminal in the world. "J… James…" she said. "Did you _have_ to kill her that way…?" Jessie looked around and noticed that James was gone.

"Meowth! He's heading for dat village down da road!" Meowth called from where he was watching the road for uninvited guests. Jessie saw James walking down the road, his entire posture like that of a sleepwalker. Jessie turned and launched herself into pursuit of her love, leaving her first partner (and her first lover) lying on the side of the road in a pool of blood, urine and faeces, forgotten.

***

Nicola felt rather odd, telling this hyper-intense man… What did he call himself? A 'Pokémon Trainer?' Anyway, it was odd, telling him her life story while he was doing something to the slave's collar around her neck, something that she had worn for all her conscious existence. "So, when you are ten years old the Masters… I mean the 'Rockets…' take you away from your families and take you to the black pyramid for evaluation."

"What do they evaluate?" Ash asked as he worked on the lock on the slave collar. He was thankful for all the lessons that Richie had given him on electronic security now. As well as the physical lock, a standard five-tumbler latch-type lock, there was also a triple-redundant electrical lock, which would detonate the explosive charge in the collar if an unauthorised person removed the collar. Ash had bypassed two of the electrical locks and was working on the third.

"Well, I'm not sure," Nicola admitted. "There are lots of tests though. I was asked to build models, solve puzzles and do certain exercises." Ash nodded. "The funny thing is, I didn't do so well, but they let me go! The ones who did the best were all taken away! I never saw them again. That includes my twin brother."

Ash sighed. "I'm sorry," he said. He could guess what happened to those missing children. Those above a certain standard were almost certainly taken away for training as Team Rocket agents. No doubt, that they were also systematically brainwashed so that they would be unthinking and obedient to whatever Giovanni told them to do. It was an abomination, but he had to admit that it was efficient. "Since then, what has happened to you?"

Nicola shuddered unconsciously. "They… they put me in a worker's village," she said. "I work in the fields every day. Sometimes they have me working in the mines instead. I… I…" Ash could see the fear in her eyes. Whatever she was about to tell him was no doubt the source of her trauma. "They examine you regularly after that. They are watching for when you start growing up. They punish you if you are slow in doing what they say until… until you are scared to rest even for a moment. I… I watched an old worker drop dead in the fields. His chest hurt, but he was afraid to stop!" Nicola continued. "When… when you are grown up enough, your Overseer does something to you… He… He puts himself inside you! It hurts so much! They do that to you again and again until you are afraid to even look at them!"

Nicola was crying now. Ash felt sick to the core. The barbarity that she was describing was too horrible to imagine. This was his father's 'perfect world.' It was a world of violence, brainwashing, slavery, institutionalised rape and easy death. Well, it had gone on long enough. Ash felt sad and angry by equal measures. There was a gentle mechanical 'click' and the slave collar came loose. Ash lifted it away and put it on the ground. Now he was going to neuter this hellish thing, forever.

Nicola looked at the slave collar, her face pale. She had gone into deep shock. "You… you got it off! How?" 

"Well that's… technical," Ash said. He pulled out a screwdriver and began to open a series of inspection panels along the inside of the collar; usually being flush to the victim's neck hid them from prying eyes.

Nicola was running her hands around her throat thoughtfully, luxuriating in the sudden absence of the dragging weight of the slave collar. "It feels so wonderful," she said quietly. "Um… Ash?" Ash turned to look at her. "Does… does this mean that I'm not a slave anymore?"

"You were never a slave," Ash told her firmly as he popped open the compartment containing the explosive charge.

***

Butch Williams staggered down the main street of Recreation Village 08, shouting Cassidy's name again and again. He peered blearily around him, trying to make sense of the whirling blurred images that his eyes were presenting to his alcohol-fogged mind. His head hurt, but at least that stopped him from thinking too much. Thinking about his fall from grace would hurt even more.

Suddenly a voice called out. "Hey, Butch!" Butch swung around, staggering slightly as he tried to find the source of the voice. Then he saw it. Standing not more than twenty metres away was James Weston. Butch's eyes opened wide when he saw his most hated enemy grinning at him in a vicious way. Just to make things even worse, James had a massive Arcanine standing at his side, while Butch was totally unarmed.

"Er… hey Jimmy-boy!" he said, waving unsteadily as he staggered drunkenly. "Uh… long time no see! How's your boss these days?"

"You're drunk," James said in disgust. "Well, maybe it will make what I am about to do hurt less."

That punched through the alcoholic fog around Butch's brain at once. "What?" he squeaked. "Hey! Play fair! I'm unarmed! I don't even have any Pokémon anymore!"

"Just like my parents," James said, quietly but clearly. "You do remember Viridian Palace, don't you Botch? Did you 'play fair' then?" James waited just long enough for Butch's mouth to open as wide as possible before he ordered Growly to use Fire Blast. 

The massive fire attack boiled around Butch and the big man screamed in agony as his clothes, hair and his flesh burst into flame. Butch could feel his skin begin to bubble and peel as he turned and fled blindly from his attacker. By either luck or instinct, he fled towards a small pond where the inhabitants of the village bathed and washed their clothes. Blinded by pain, he staggered forward and tripped over a small stone, tumbling down into the water.

The cold water closed like a shroud around Butch, extinguishing the flames immediately. Butch felt his body relax and his consciousness fleeing as the cool fluid soothed his injuries and relaxed his body into almost a sleep state. Then, a part of him realised that he was drowning. Suddenly flailing like the dying man he was, Butch somehow managed to fight his way to the surface of the pond. Once his feet were underneath him, he staggered towards the shore and collapsed there, half in and half out of the water.

There was a long pause as Butch stared in horror at his red and raw arms, the skin hanging off like fleshy ropes. His entire body had gone numb except for a throbbing agony that filled every savaged nerve ending. Suddenly, Butch heard regular, calm footsteps from somewhere above. He looked up and saw James and his Arcanine looking down at him. James' expression was terrifyingly blank. Butch could see no hint of mercy and felt no hope himself. _Why has no one come to help me?_ he thought desperately. _The screams…_ Then he remembered that screams weren't so unusual in a Recreational Village. The screams of workers grabbed by some Rocket for 'recreational purposes.' No one would be coming to help him. Butch suddenly realised that this was strangely ironic in a way, almost _funny_ when you thought about it. Fate did love her little jokes.

"You savaged my family and my home for 'practice,'" James said simply. "You and that bitch of a partner of yours." James reached into his jacket and pulled out a gold-plated .45"-calibre Colt automatic pistol. He smirked slightly as Butch's ruined face registered soul-destroying horror. "I see you recognise this," he said. "I took this from Cassidy… after watching her die slowly and painfully. Now, I think I have a use for it." James calmly pulled back the slide, drawing a bullet into the firing chamber and cocking the pistol in one motion. "Goodbye, Butch." There was a single gunshot and then silence.

Jessie and Meowth were standing just beyond the slope leading down to the pool when James staggered out of the small pit, still clutching Cassidy's gun. His face was expressionless. Jessie had heard the gunshot and she knew what had happened. "Are… are you satisfied now?" she asked James caustically.

There was a long pause as James stared at Jessie as if he had never seen her before. When he finally spoke, it was in a tone that made him sound very, very far away. "Satisfied?" he parroted stupidly. "I… No. No I'm not. Ash was right about that, I…" James' hand opened nervelessly and the gun dropped to the ground, already forgotten. James staggered forwards a few more steps, and then fell onto his knees.

Jessie cried out involuntarily and ran over to James. She grabbed him hard and pressed his face to her breast. She could feel that he was crying; that he felt more lost and more alone than he had ever been before. Growly ran over and pressed his face to James' abdomen, trying to comfort him. Even Meowth joined the impromptu group hug. "I feel empty and lost, Jess…" James sobbed. "I'm tired... I'm so very sick and tired. I'm sick of killing and revenge… I just want to go home and rest… It would be so good to sleep without having nightmares. I…" James' voice descended into incoherence and Jessie hugged her lover even more tightly.

Somehow, she knew that they had turned a critical corner. James was, at last, free of the events of the past. The pain was over at last, for him, and the healing could begin. Instinctively, she looked up to the brooding shape of the Headquarters pyramid hanging over the village like a thundercloud. There was only one task left for them to complete.

***

Nicola felt supremely uncomfortable as Ash re-fitted the slave collar. The fact that he had removed all of its' internal components and it was now nothing but an inert metal ring didn't really matter to her. Its' _symbolic_ value was important to her. Wearing it made her feel like a slave, even if this enigmatic warrior insisted that she was and always had been free. "Okay, do you understand all I told you?" Ash asked.

Nicola nodded. "Tomorrow, I should watch for the sign," she said. "The sky in the direction of the black pyramid will be filled with fire. When that happens, I should turn on the Overseers and encourage the others to do so too." Nicola blinked and looked at Ash. "What about the collars?"

"Leave that to me," Ash said. "I've got a special card to play that will make them as useless as the one you're wearing right now."

Nicola shrugged, deciding to take Ash's word for it. He hadn't lied to her before, so she should trust him now. "Okay, once we've done that, we should cross the ridge and keep away from the pyramid. You'll do the rest."

Ash nodded. "Okay, it is important that you don't mention _any_ of this to _anyone_ until you see the sign. Got that?" Nicola nodded. "I've got your promise?" The girl nodded again, this time more firmly, her eyes wide with innocent sincerity. Ash smiled slightly. "That's good to know." Ash stood up and helped Nicola stand as well. "Okay, Nikki," he said, "I hope to see you again some day. It was good getting to know you." He leaned forwards and kissed her on the cheek, making her blush a bright, flame red.

"Thank you, Ash," she replied shyly. She walked away, then paused by the body of the slave supervisor that Ash's Scyther had disembowelled. She spat on the corpse, kicked it lightly and then walked off into the woods. In moments, she was lost to Ash's sight.

***

Misty jumped to her feet the moment that Ash emerged from the woods around the Team Thunderbolt camp. "Ash!" she cried out and virtually leapt into her arms. Ash hugged her tightly and Misty felt greatly reassured. "You… you didn't do anything stupid, did you?" she asked.

Ash grinned. "Hey, it's me!" he said.

"That's what I'm worried about," Misty responded darkly, making Ash laugh. The two broke their hug and Misty let Ash lead her towards the centre of the campsite.

"I haven't done anything that I can't live with," Ash replied cryptically. "I've made a new ally and I think that I've got the facts I need to make an end to this." Misty looked at Ash levelly. Her lover reached out and squeezed he hand tightly. "I'm going to set us free, Mist," he said quietly.

Misty nodded gently. "Tomorrow then?" she asked.

Ash nodded and was about to elaborate when there was another movement. Brock's Crobat fluttered into the clearing, escorting Jessie, James and Meowth. None of them were _hurt_, as such, but Jessie was leading James as if he were an imbecile. The expression on the face of the noble-born former Rocket was confused, as if he didn't know exactly what had happened to him.

"James!" Joy gasped as she saw the state of the man. She ran over to James and peered at him. "He's gone into shock! What happened?"

The others all crowded around Jessie, James and Meowth as Jessie tried to explain James' actions in some way that didn't sound like cold-blooded murder. Suddenly, Ash's voice broke through the babble. "So, you've got your revenge, James?" he asked.

James looked up at his friend unsteadily. "I… Yes," he said at last. "I suppose I have."

"And it feels hollow and meaningless, just as I said?" Ash asked. James nodded and looked down, feeling utterly ashamed. "You're free now, James," Ash announced. He knelt in front of the man who was once his sworn enemy and put a friendly hand on his shoulder. The two Trainers stared into each other's eyes for a long moment. "My father's last hold on you is gone now," Ash continued. "Now you are ready to make a new life. Are you ready for that?"

There was a long pause. "No," James said at last. He drew in a deep breath, realising that there was more, far more at stake here than _his_ revenge. "Firstly… Firstly we have to stop Team Rocket from ever doing this to anyone else." Ash smiled slightly and nodded. He patted James on the shoulder in awkward approval. James staggered to his feet and hugged Jessie hard. "You are the light that keeps me alive," he whispered. Jessie blushed fiercely and felt tears prickling at her eyes.

"Now the time has come to free _everyone_," Ash said, his voice quiet but somehow echoing around the camp. "Starting tomorrow we start rolling the tide of fear back, guys. We're going to take down Giovanni and make sure that no one _ever_ fears the name 'Team Rocket' ever again."

Everyone stared at Ash for a long moment after he made that pronouncement. "Tomorrow?" Brock asked at last.

Ash nodded. "Tomorrow," he said. "Get some sleep guys. We're going to have a busy day."

__

To be continued…


	5. Ragnarok

**__**

PoKéMoN

Avenger – A Pokémon Epic by BenRG

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Legal Disclaimer

Pokémon, the Pocket Monsters and their human friends and enemies are all the sole copyright and trademark property of Nintendo Entertainment and 4 Kids Productions. No breach of any copyright or legal property is intended.

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Author's Notes

This is the last part of my first _Pokémon_ fic. As sad as it is, after all this time I _still_ don't know all the monsters or all the moves. I base my story purely on what I've seen of the cartoon and absorbed from other fan works. I thank all the other Pokémon writers on this board for providing plenty of inspiration. Special thanks to Charles "RocketBoy" Reilly, Wind, Joshua Falken, Chuchino and Catalina Storm for their comments, advice and encouragement.

Text in [squared-off brackets] indicates the translation of a Pokémon's language into English.

Text in _Italics_ but not in quotes indicates thoughts.

Text in "_quotes and italics_" is speech from a speaker, telephone or some other electronic means

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This is an Alternate Universe story

Ages: Ash is 17 and Misty has just turned 19; Brock is 25; Jessie and James are both 24; Richie is 17; Duplicia is 18; Sabrina is 24; Lance is 16; Joy is 29; Delilah is 38; Professor Oak is 47; Gary is 18.

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Censor: R (Equivalent to UK '15' Certificate)

Content Warning: Swearing, explicit violence, description of injuries, implied sexual activity (including non-con) and mature topics.

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Book 3 – The Return of the Crusaders

__

What has gone before…

It is the mid-twenty-first century, and in the land of Kanto, a war has begun. The heroic young Pokémon trainers known as Team Thunderbolt are waging a terrible struggle against the evil worldwide terrorist organisation Team Rocket. Leading these young heroes is Ash Ketchum, one of the greatest Pokémon trainers ever to have lived. Leading Team Rocket is the insane Giovanni diRocketti, the man once known as Joseph Oak, Ash's father.

Now Ash, along with Misty, Brock, Jessie, James and Joy are on Black Island itself, the home base of Team Rocket. After seeing at first hand Giovanni's inhumane and insane concept of an ideal society at work, the six heroes are more determined than ever to end Team Rocket's reign of terror. The last battle has finally begun…

***

"Now the time has come to free _everyone_," Ash said, his voice quiet but somehow echoing around the camp. "Starting tomorrow we start rolling the tide of fear back, guys. We're going to take down Giovanni and make sure that no one _ever_ fears the name 'Team Rocket' ever again."

Everyone stared at Ash for a long moment after he made that pronouncement. "Tomorrow?" Brock asked at last.

Ash nodded. "Tomorrow," he said. "Get some sleep guys. We're going to have a busy day."

__

And now, the continuation…

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Chapter 5 – Ragnarok

"Sir?" Old Mondo had stood to attention for some time now, waiting for Giovanni to acknowledge him, but so far, there had been nothing. He was loyal to his leader, but even so his patience was not limitless. "Sir… If I may…?"

"Hmm? Yes Mondo?" Giovanni said without looking up from his display screen.

"Sir, the modifications that you ordered for the conference room on level 30 are now complete," Mondo reported.

"Ah! Excellent!" Giovanni looked up at his closest lieutenant and smiled grimly. "Now all we have to do is wait, my friend."

There was a long pause in the cathedral-like office. "Sir," Mondo said quietly, "what of the reports of Team Thunderbolt infiltrators on the island? When we took a roll call this morning, seven fighters turned up missing, including _Butch and Cassidy_…!"

"It is of no consequence," Giovanni interrupted. There was something about Giovanni's smile and the look in his good eye that made Mondo feel extremely nervous. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something was _wrong._

"Sir, if there _are_ Team Thunderbolt agents on the island, it may be a precursor to an attack!"

Giovanni laughed in a dangerous way, making Mondo come out in a cold sweat. "As I have already said, old friend, it is of no consequence." Giovanni leaned back in his chair and folded his hands across his abdomen. "It has been a long haul, Mondo, but it is almost over. Once this day is done, no one will _ever_ defy us again."

Mondo shrugged, feeling ill at ease. "If… if you say so, sir."

"I do say so," Giovanni said sternly. "Dismissed."

Mondo spun on his heel and marched out of Giovanni's office. _He is loosing his grip_, he thought. _If Ketchum or a significant number of his troops are on this island, it can only mean an assault on headquarters!_ Mondo shook his head. He had fought alongside Giovanni for more than two decades, in one fashion or another. Such openly mutinous thoughts did not come easy to him, but he was loyal to Team Rocket. If Giovanni was so overconfident that he didn't want to respond to this obvious threat, then, damn it, he would do it himself!

Mondo strode into the Major Missions Room, brushing aside numerous Dan'in and technicians with the force of his stride. "I want all troop commanders in my office in the next twenty minutes!" he announced. "Officer of the watch: Go to defence condition two!"

The Rockets were all trained well. A buzzer started to bleat and yellow tracer lights began to flash around the various consoles in the chamber. Mondo looked around him and nodded in satisfaction as he heard the technicians shout reports about the readiness of the base's defensive weapons. _Okay, lad_, he thought at Ash Ketchum, wherever her was. _In your own time now. We're ready._

***

Misty Waterflower shivered. Black Island might be in the tropics, but it was still January, and a chill wind blew steadily from the north east. She looked on in worry as her boyfriend and leader, Ash Ketchum, stood in the middle of a meadow. _It is strange_, she thought uneasily. _It is almost as if he was _praying_ or something._ "Ash," she called out. "What are you doing?"

Ash's eyes remained closed, but his face lit up with his irrepressible smile. "Calling a few old friends," Ash announced. "I have some debts to call in, and they have promises to keep.

Misty shook her head in incomprehension. Ash's Raichu, who was hanging on her back, laughed easily. [Watch and learn, Misty,] he said quietly. Misty looked at the electric-type in confusion. When Misty turned back to Ash, what she saw literally took her breath away. Nine huge bird-like Pokémon had landed in a circle around Ash: Arbora, Articuno, Ho-oh, Lugia, Moltres, MissingNo, Tempestross, Vercinimous Wing and Zapdos; The Legendary Birds. Misty didn't think that her jaw could get any further open, but it did when, with a savage lion-like roar, a massive brown-and-red shape leapt over her and ran over to Ash. Entei sat down with Suicune and Raikou forming the other points of a triangle around the Chosen One.

"Thank you for coming, my friends," Ash said.

__

It is our obligation, Guardian, Lugia announced in his good-natured baritone telepathic voice. _When the Chosen One calls, we shall answer._

What task do you have for us? Entei asked, cocking his huge face, which was covered with an enigmatic star-shaped bony red mask.

"The time has come," Ash said. "The last battle against the darkness is upon us."

__

Do you truly believe that? Vercinimous Wing asked in his icy, metallic telepathic voice. 

Sitting next to him, Articuno nudged him with a wing. _Silence, God of the Shadows_, she said firmly. _Each thing at its' own time_. Maybe it was Misty's overactive imagination, but she was sure that the huge beak of the psychic/flying-type somehow curled up into a mischievous smile.

__

What are you commands, O Chosen One? Lugia asked, firmly taking control again.

Ash shook his head and looked the Titan of the Oceans in the eye. "Old friend, I will need all of you, your strength and powers this day. The time has come for a last reckoning between my father and me. However, he has surrounded himself with fighters and weapons."

__

I think that we know what needs to be done, Entei said with a lion-like smile.

"That's good," Ash said with a smile of his own.

***

About half an hour later, two Team Rocket Dan'in fighters were standing on the sea wall protecting the hidden entrance to the docking cavern of the organisation's headquarters. One of them offered his colleague a cigarette. "So, what do you think is up?" he asked.

The other man shrugged. "I dunno," he replied. "Maybe it's a drill or something."

"GYRRR!" roared a terrifying voice. The first Dan'in turned around and stared into the six-foot wide maw of a Gyarados. A man wearing paramilitary clothing was sitting astride the huge water/dragon-type. The two Dan'in had just enough time to let their jaws fall open before a powerful Water Gun attack blew them clean off the sea wall into the calm waters of the harbour.

James' Gyarados cleared the sea wall and tore forwards towards the entrance of the docks at his top speed. All along the shore, and from hidden batteries, guns began to track onto the man and his Pokémon. Before a single shot was fired, however, a Zquid exploded out of the water, a redheaded woman wearing a wetsuit clinging to its' back. As the water/poison-type rose into the sky, it twisted, unleashing a spray of poison darts that sent the Dan'in running along the sea wall reeling back. The emplaced guns began to fire, but Gyarados and Zquid were too agile for the gunners to hit them or their trainers.

In the chaos that was rapidly building up, no one really noticed the black-haired man on the Omastar and the red-headed woman surfing on the back of a Wartortle as they swept into the harbour. Brock pulled out a Pokéball and threw it into the air. "Go Aerodactyl!" he shouted. His huge fossil/flying-type appeared. "Aerodactyl, take out those guns!" 

The massive dragon screamed her defiance and soared into the air. Her predator's vision allowed her to pinpoint every gun that fired at her and an Omni Blast attack silenced it at once. Armoured doors were flung open and more armed Dan'in came rushing out to join the battle. "Aerodactyl, use Screech!" Brock ordered. His dragon screamed and the massive sonic waves, as well as creating agonising resonance effects in the skull, also caused the Team Rocket fighters a deep and dreadful sense of fear. Discipline quickly broke down.

Old Mondo, safely ensconced in C-in-C, decided to pull his troops back and use the heavier weapons built into the structure of the headquarters building. In moments, powerful automatic cannon and missile launchers were tracking towards the Team Thunderbolt trainers and their Pokémon.

"A little bit closer…" a Team Rocket gunner whispered to himself as he aimed his 76mm cannon at James and his Gyarados. "A little bit closer…" He had the perfect firing angle! _Now!_ At that very moment, the barrel of the gun melted, as did its' armoured casement and several square metres of the granite cliffs into which it was emplaced. The heat of the Fire Blast attack was so great that the gunners' uniforms spontaneously burst into flame.

***

"What the hell…?" Mondo asked himself as he watched the destruction of a weapons emplacement through the external CCTV cameras. At that moment a huge shape, a cross between a goose and an eagle, eclipsed the sun. However, this shape created a light all of its' own. "_TREEESSS!_"

"Moltres? _Here?_" Mondo couldn't believe his eyes. At that moment, the other eight Legendary Birds dived out of the sun in a tight formation. Psychic, ice, water, earth, fire, and electric-type attacks spat out from the legendary Pokémon, tearing into the weapons and sensors that surrounded the headquarters building.

***

On the grassy landward approach to the Headquarters pyramid, a Dan'in armed with a Stinger shoulder-launched SAM lined up on Ho-oh as the God of the Rainbow flashed overhead. As he drew a bead on the Pokémon, he heard a deep growl from behind him. The man looked around and found himself staring into Entei's bony face. The massive Legendary Dog just grinned and watched as the pitiful human dropped his weapon and fled from the battlefield, screaming like a lost soul.

***

Mondo couldn't believe what was happening. Team Rocket's headquarters was under attack by Team Thunderbolt… aided by the _Legendary Pokémon!_ However, he wasn't about to panic. They had a secret weapon that they could use against those so-called 'gods,' one that had been so successfully field-tested by their unwitting dupe Laradian. "Launch the captor drones!" he ordered.

Several metal frames shaped like squares, triangles and hexagons popped from hidden launchers on the side of the Headquarters pyramid. Mondo grinned as a group of the square metal frames formed up around Moltres and generated a powerful energy field, specifically designed to neutralise the creature's powers and keep it imprisoned. To his horror, Articuno suddenly blasted the drones with her Ice Beam attack. The machines overloaded from the massive cold and fell away, bursting into flame as they did so. As Mondo looked on in horror, the Legendary Birds continued to attack, while providing each other with mutual defence against the captor drones. _But… but the Legendary Birds are natural rivals,_ a tiny part of his mind wailed. _They_ never_ help each other…_ Until now, that is. Mondo realised that this was somehow Ketchum's doing. The boy had done the impossible… yet again.

***

Ash and Misty, meanwhile, had arrived at the base of the Headquarters Pyramid. Misty winced at the huge explosion as Lugia used Hyper Beam to blow apart one of the five huge obelisks surrounding the central pyramid, which contained hundreds of defensive weapons. "They seem to be enjoying themselves," she said in a shaky tone of voice. 

Ash laughed. "Every Pokémon is, at heart, a show off," he said.

[Hey! What about me!] Raichu protested. Ash laughed again and stroked his friend's head in apology. The two young trainers watched as Entei, Suicune and Raikou, acting as a team, surrounded the hundred or more Rocket fighters on the grassy flats and began to herd them away from the buildings.

Ash looked up slightly and decided that now was the time. With just a little nervousness, he released his Meganium. His ultra-loyal plant-type immediately pressed herself to his body, stroking his face with her head and purring his name over and over again. Ash sweatdropped but managed to focus. "Meganium, please," he protested. She looked at him, a bit shamefaced, like a teenager who had been caught out by a parent. "Meganium, use Solar Beam on the wall, just there."

Meganium looked at the location that her 'Ashy' was pointing at and scowled. [Yes sir!] she cried out enthusiastically. A concentrated discharge of solar radiation slagged the wall in an instant. There was now a gaping hole in the side of the pyramid on its' second storey. 

"Great work!" Ash called out, hugging her tightly in congratulation before recalling her to her Pokéball. A pair of Dan'in appeared in the hole and were immediately stun shocked unconscious by Ash's Raichu. "Okay, let's do it!"

"Lift us up, Togetic," Misty commanded. Her little fairy-like psychic-type concentrated and the two Trainers rose into the sky. In a few seconds they alighted on the edge of the melted-open wall of the pyramid.

"Zapdos!" Ash called. In a moment, the huge God of the Storm dropped down in front of the Chosen One and bowed once. "Zapdos, you know what you have to do," Ash said firmly.

__

It will be my pleasure, Guardian, the electric/flying-type laughed. The massive bird-like Pokémon rose into the sky once more and called on his full reserves of power. Ash, Misty and every other human outside of the buildings felt the sudden static in the air, their hair rising up and an itching sensation clawing at their fingertips and toes. Then, Zapdos turned into a massive golden-white flash of light that sent blue-white lightning crackling over every metal surface on Black Island.

Mondo shouted in surprise as several computers in the C-in-C room exploded. The lights went out and the base's central computer system crashed. Every monitor and display screen snowed over with static before they either blinked off or exploded.

In the specially converted chamber on Level 30, Giovanni didn't even flinch as the lights went out. _An electromagnetic pulse_, he realised. _In the darkness, with communications disrupted, the fight will be far easier. Well done indeed, my son_. With a steady hand, Giovanni lit a match and began to light the hundreds of candles he had placed around the room in preparation for this moment. Some equipment in the Headquarters building was shielded from EMPs of this magnitude, but not much. As he waited the dim, blue emergency lights flickered on, making Giovanni's mouth twitch a little in mirth. They would make things _worse_ not easier for the defenders, in his view.

Giovanni stepped away from the last candelabra and looked at the huge Team Rocket sigil on the far wall of the chamber. _One way or another, this ends, here and today_, he predicted. _Either my son shall take his place by my side, or he will fall before me_. Giovanni looked at the sigil and smiled in a bitter, hateful manner. As the sounds of battle began to resonate dimly through the chamber from lower down in the building, the founder of Team Rocket began to laugh.

***

Nikki looked up as the sky suddenly turned into a massive golden-white flash, which rippled out in all directions. There was an electrical squawk from the nearest overseer's radio set and it went dead. Blue lightning played over the metal slave collars and agricultural tools of the workers in the field. _This is it_, she thought with sudden fear. _That was Ash Ketchum's sign_. She touched the hollow remains of her slave collar nervously before standing up, clutching her hoe tightly.

"Okay, slave scum," one Overseer announced, finally looking down from the fading golden ripples crossing the sky. "There's nothing to see. Get back to work!"

"You can't give me orders, filth," Nikki spat.

There was a long, stupid pause before the overseers burst into laugher. "Well lookie here!" one gasped out around his roars of mirth. "A slave has got herself a backbone! She's a pretty one too! I'll enjoy this!" The man levelled his control rod at Nikki and pressed the actuator stud. Of course nothing happened. Nikki couldn't help but smile as the man stared at the device in disbelief.

Several others tried to use the discipline device, their expressions of disbelief and fear getting ever more hilarious from her point of view. All the other workers in the field had stopped working now and were staring at Nikki and the overseers in amazement. Finally, the girl tired of the entertainment. She reversed her hoe and drove the blunt end into the nearest overseer's gut. The man gasped in pain and folded double. He was perfectly lined up for a second blow to the face as Nikki twirled the hoe like a quarterstaff.

"The overseers' power is gone!" she shouted. "Rise up! We're free!"

"You're dead, bitch!" one overseer said. He tapped in Nikki's code into the keypad on his control baton and pressed the red button. The euthanasia device didn't detonate because the explosives were no longer in her collar. At that point another worker, a young man, knocked him down and proceeded to stab him to death with his shovel.

The overseers quickly found that their control devices didn't work on _anyone_ any more and the field of potatoes turned into a bloodbath. Outnumbered ten-to-one, they lasted only for a few seconds. One last overseer, her eyes wide with panic, managed to pull out a knife and charged at Nikki. "You did this, bitch!" the overseer screamed as she ran forwards. "I'll gut you!" On an instinct, Nikki dropped down low and raised her hoe, the sharp end extended and the blunt end dug into the soil for support. The woman in the hated grey uniform impaled herself on the agricultural tool and screeched in agony before dying, gurgling her last breath around blood that was fountaining up her throat.

There was a sudden silence before Nikki tore off her collar (Ash had removed the mechanical lock too) and held it up to the sky. "Pass on the word!" she shouted at the ecstatic group of workers… no _free men and women_. "We are slaves no more! WE ARE FREE!"

***

Ash watched as Zapdos' EMP did its' work. He turned to look down the suddenly darkened corridor and drew in a deep breath. He looked at Misty and saw only determination in his love's eyes. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Always, Ash," Misty said with a quirky smile. "Let's end this."

Ash nodded. "Okay," he said. "Let's do it. Raichu, use Flash!" The electric squirrel jumped from where he was hanging onto Ash's back and began to shine with a bright yellow light. Ash pulled Quilava's Pokéball off of his bandoleer. With Togetic and Raichu in the lead, the two lovers began to move into the base.

***

Mondo, meanwhile, was having a bad time. Zapdos' electromagnetic pulse was hundreds of times stronger than should have been possible for an animal of his size. Several shielded systems that _should_ have been proof against the attack had failed. There was no way for him to communicate with his troops any more. To make matters worse, Vercinimous Wing was now broadcasting a Terror attack over the entire area, making the already terrified and demoralised troops outside the buildings flee in panic.

__

This is only the beginning, he predicted darkly. _They won't stop now!_ He pulled his Pokébelt out and strapped it on. "Okay, start spreading out," he told the dozen Elite Rockets gathered in the gloom of his office. "Take charge of clusters of fighters and agents and set up layered defence. Use your psychic-type Pokémon for communications. We've got to stop them before they get too far into the building."

"Don't worry, Mondo," commented one of the Red Rockets, a young blonde woman named Domino (_Giovanni's favourite for a while, until that fiasco when she tried to find Mewtwo_, Mondo thought irreverently). "We'll stop them dead!"

"See that you do, Ms. Pfeiser," Mondo remarked darkly. "For today, the price of failure is too high for any of us to pay."

***

As the power of the Legendary Dogs quickly overcame the few troops outside the Headquarters facility, Brock, Joy, Jessie and James moved on to the next phase of Ash's plan. With the assistance of their psychic-types, they teleported in to a small meeting hall near the point where Ash and Misty had broken into the buildings. Then they burst out of the room, leading with their best fighting Pokémon, and joined the battle.

"You know what to do!" Ash shouted. "Spread out!" Brock saluted his friend and Jessie simply nodded. Within seconds, the Pokémon of Team Thunderbolt were destroying staircases and elevators. Their goal was simple: prevent Giovanni from escaping. Ash was determined that the war should end this day.

After ten destructive minutes, Ash and his friends met back more-or-less where they started. "Okay," he said. "Now on to phase three. Start heading up floor-by-floor, neutralising all opposition. We've only got one shot at this, people, so let's get it right." Everyone nodded. Ash looked at Misty. "Be careful," he told her. 

Misty winked. "The same to you, Hero," she replied.

***

The battle soon degenerated into a long timeless sequence of violent incidents. Long experience, combined with the lethal hunter's instinct and genetic hardwiring that had propelled _Homo Sapiens Sapiens_ to the top of Earth's food chain, quickly wrapped Misty Waterflower in an anaesthetic fog. In some ways she stopped being consciously aware of the battle around her and became a creature of her environment. Perfectly bonded with her Pokémon, she hunted through the building, heading relentlessly upwards, destroying opposition wherever she found it, barely aware of the Dan'in and field agents that she was slapping aside with such ease except as obstructions now removed.

Suddenly she became aware that she had hit a definite hard point of resistance. The Dan'in and field agents before her were pressing her hard with their weapons and Pokémon. There was something different about them. _They are more co-ordinated_, she decided suddenly. _Someone is leading them_.

This suspicion became a certainty when a quartet of Dan'in, accompanied by several fighting-type Pokémon suddenly burst out of a side corridor in what was clearly a well-planned ambush. However, Misty was an experienced fighter herself now, and she could handle most things. Togetic unleashed a Psywave attack that knocked out the Pokémon and most of the Dan'in. One got close enough to reach for the ginger-haired young woman's throat. Misty easily avoided the attack. Then she kicked her attacker in the solar plexus drove her fist into the side of his head and chopped him on the back of the neck as she went down.

However, that had so totally focussed her attention that she forgot that even more Rockets were waiting ahead of her. A Thunderbolt attack struck her in the back and Misty went down, writhing in pain. "_Finish her_!" shouted a woman's voice that Misty found strangely familiar through the haze of pain that was fogging her consciousness.

[You leave Mommy alone!] Togetic shouted and raised a Light Screen around his Trainer. Several more Pokémon attacks and bursts of fire from various types of gun struck uselessly against the impenetrable psychic barrier. [Mommy! Mommy, are you okay?] the fairy-like Pokémon called out to Misty in fear and uncertainty.

Misty blinked up at Togetic in confusion for a few seconds before getting her feet underneath her. "I'm fine, Togetic," she said, shaking her head to clear it. "Just keep this shield up for a few seconds more." Misty looked at the Rockets and pulled out a blue-and-white aqua-type Pokéball. This contained a very special Pokémon, her first. "Okay, go… _Gyarados!_" Misty's massive water serpent materialised in the corridor. "Okay use Mist!" she ordered. A freezing fog suddenly filled the corridor and the Rockets stopped their incessant attacks, confused and disoriented.

"You idiots, use your fire-types!" There was that voice again. "Drive away this fog!"

"Gyarados, use Surf!" Misty ordered, jumping onto her starter's back.

[Yeah!] Gyarados roared in approval. Like a massive moving wall of destruction, Gyarados shot down the corridor, his tough body protecting him from the occasional random gunshot. At that moment, several Ember and Fire Spin attacks cleared the Mist from the corridor. The Rockets saw a Gyarados bearing down on them and broke, deserting the makeshift barricades of office equipment that they had placed across the corridor as part of their ambush.

Gyarados smashed through the barricades as if they weren't there. Misty pulled out two Pokéballs. "Go Starmie and Starmax!" she shouted, releasing her two water/psychic-type crustaceans. "Use Tackle attack!"

The two starfish-like Pokémon whirled out in opposite directions as Misty had trained them and began to slap fleeing Rockets over the head, knocking them out. Suddenly, Misty saw someone in the red uniform of an Elite Rocket directly ahead of her. The blonde, violet-eyed woman was wearing a cloth cap in black and red and was staring at Misty in hatred. Misty recognised her at once. Domino! She was that Rocket agent that Giovanni sent to capture that strange psychic-type, Mewtwo… Oh, it had to be three years ago now… The woman was vicious and sadistic in her treatment of Pokémon. 

Domino recognised Misty too. She was Ketchum's paramour; one of the Organisation's most hated foes. Worse still, she was one of those three blasted _Twerps_ who ruined her attempt to recapture the prototype Mewtwo and cost her the place at Giovanni's side that she so treasured. "You're dead!" she screeched. "Magcargo… use Flame-thrower!"

Domino's fire/rock-type responded at once, launching a stream of bio-thermal flame at Misty, who was still riding on Gyarados' back. Long years of experience meant that Misty didn't even have to give Gyarados instructions to respond. A single Water Gun blast intercepted and cancelled out the fire attack. "Great work, Gyarados! Now, use Hydro Pump!" Misty commanded.

Gyarados reared up, pointing both her mouth and tail at Domino's Magcargo. A jet of pressurised water shot from both ends of the water serpent and drenched the snail-like creature of living magma. There was a hissing sound and the corridor was filled with steam. When it cleared, Magcargo had hardened into a brown-black lump and had fainted. The fire-type flashed into red light and was sucked back into its' Pokéball, which Domino was holding.

"Do you want to give up?" Misty asked, leaning idly against Gyarados' massive flanks.

Domino scowled, noting that all of her troops had either run away or been knocked out by a whirling starfish-like Pokémon. "Never," she snarled. "I owe you a lot of pain you little tramp, and here is where I deliver."

***

The partition between the duty controller's office and the Command & Control centre turned into a trillion cubes of safety glass as Jessie's Lickatung sent a Raticate flying through it with a Mega Kick attack. Lickatung then whirled and used Lick on the Raticate's Trainer, knocking him out at once. "Well done, Lickatung," Jessie told her pink, dinosaur-like normal/sonic-type Pokémon, patting him on the head.

[Ah, it was nothing, Miss J,] Lickatung replied modestly, giving his Trainer an affectionate lick. Jessie grimaced and wiped the Pokémon's love-drool off of the side of her face. She took a moment to look around her, as she had never actually been to C&C before, even though she had been temporarily assigned to Old Mondo's staff when she first qualified from the Organisation's academy, she had never acquired a sufficiently high security clearance to get in here. 

In the aftermath of Zapdos' Electromagnetic Pulse attack, the room had been plunged into a blue-lit artificial twilight. The consoles were all darkened, the monitors were all dead and the usually bustling room was deserted apart from an unconscious Raticate. It was hardly what you expected for the organisational hub of a global terrorist organisation, one that rivalled most governments in power. This appealed to Jessie for a strange reason. She smiled slightly when she suddenly realised that it was almost _symbolic_ that C&C should be in this state. After all, after today, Team Rocket was going to be out of business _for good_.

Suddenly, Jessie saw a movement out of the corner of her eye, and saw a very, very familiar face. "Mondo," she said.

Old Mondo, wearing his stone-brown uniform and the shoulder cape of his dress uniform, stepped forwards. "Miss Scarlet," he replied. "Well, I hoped that I would run into one of the two _traitors_ before this day was through." The old man smiled. "This is a day that will long be remembered. It will see the end of Ash Ketchum and the end of Team Thunderbolt. After today, no one will _ever_ dare oppose Team Rocket again."

Jessie laughed. That sounded _so_ melodramatic, it was funny! "Look around you, old man," she replied. "Team Rocket has fallen! Once we've finished mopping up you and the rest of the _dregs _that my father has surrounded himself with, we will take him, _dead or alive_ and Team Rocket will become an obscure footnote in history." Mondo went bright red when he heard that. Jessie smirked, enjoying having struck such a sensitive nerve in the man whose weakness cost her mother her life. She posed, her chin resting in one hand as she tapped the side of her face with a finger to show she was thinking. "How will it go, I wonder… Ah! I know: 'In 2068, the great Pokémon Master Ash Ketchum, assisted by his famous allies, eradicated a minor terrorist faction known as 'Team Rocket.' Then it will go on to talk about what the politicians will do next year."

Mondo nearly exploded. "You are just like her," he hissed. "Just like Miyamoto! A _traitor_! A _turncoat_! You are standing in the way of _history…_!"

"Is that why you let Giovanni get away with her _murder_?" Jessie shot back. 

Mondo froze. "That… that isn't true," he muttered. "Giovanni executed her for her treason! She had to die for the good of the organisation…"

"Oh _wake up_!" Jessie screamed. "Giovanni was offended by my mother's opinions, so he raped and murdered her! And you helped him cover that up! If he is the foulest of villains, what does that make you? His _trained lapdog_?"

"No… he would never…" Mondo seemed to have gone into a deep shock at being suddenly forced to confront these facts again after so many years. And now, he didn't even have the certainty he had then to defend his actions. After all, he was finally beginning to doubt Giovanni's sanity… "No! You're lying!"

"Why should I lie?" Jessie asked. "After all, what do I care what you think of that filthy, murdering monstrous…?"

"SHUT UP!" Mondo screamed. The old man snatched a Pokéball off of his belt and released his old Arcanine. "Arcanine, use Roar!" Arcanine roared, a deafening sound in the confines of C&C. Jessie winced and covered her ears. Lickatung reeled, frozen with terror. "Now use Body Slam!" Mondo shouted.

"Dodge it, Lickatung!" Jessie responded. "Use Mega Punch!" Lickatung barely managed to avoid Arcanine's charge and missed his own counter-attack by a wide margin.

"Fire Blast! Now!" Mondo commanded, his eyes wide and staring. 

Jessie winced as the massive fire-type attack boiled around poor Lickatung, making him squeal in agony. As the flames cleared, the normal-type fell to the floor, quite unconscious. Jessie recalled him at once. "Nice try, Lickatung," she said, swapping Pokéballs. "Go Wobbuffet!"

The strange grey teardrop-shaped psychic-type materialised in the centre of the chamber and saluted. [I'm here and I'm ready, Boss-lady!] he announced.

"Your Wobbuffet?" Mondo asked with a laugh. "Why do you even bother, Scarlet? Those things are useless!" He pointed forwards again. "Okay, Arcanine, use Fire Blast again!"

"Use Mirror Coat!" Jessie ordered. The flames boiled around Wobbuffet, but the stream of bio-thermal flames seemed to reflect right back and they struck Arcanine too, making the big fire wolf yelp in pain. Although native attacks were generally weak, Mirror Coat doubled the returned damage, making the attack very effective.

Mondo couldn't believe what he saw. Wobbuffet seemed unharmed, while Arcanine was staggering with pain and surprise. "We've got to stop that thing from using its' powers," he snapped to his Pokémon. "Use Roar!"

"Use Safeguard!" Jessie countered. Safeguard prevented the sonic-type attack from having any affect on Wobbuffet. Mondo hissed in annoyance and started to think desperately for some kind of way past the psychic-type's counter-attacking powers. "You're doing wonderfully, Wobbuffet, as always," Jessie said, laughing a little at the expression on her opponent's face. Wobbuffet grinned smugly and adopted a triumphant pose.

"Use Body Slam!" Mondo ordered. Jessie ordered Wobbuffet to use Counter. The Body Slam sent him tumbling across the C&C chamber, but the reflected and boosted kinetic energy knocked Arcanine out for the count. Mondo stared at his unconscious Pokémon for a long moment in deep disbelief. After a few seconds he was able to recall Arcanine and release a new Pokémon. This time, he chose his starter. "Go Nidoking!" The massive purple rabbit-like poison-type materialised in the middle of the chamber. "Use Horn Charge, Nidoking!" he commanded.

Once again, Counter did its' magic, and Nidoking was sent tumbling back towards his Trainer even as Wobbuffet was knocked from his feet. Jessie watched as her friend staggered to his feet. She could see that Wobbuffet couldn't take another hit. "Use Destiny Bond!" she ordered. Wobbuffet looked at her carefully before nodding. He began to glow with power.

"Use Poison Sting!" Mondo ordered. A hail of poison darts shot from Nidoking's mouth and struck Wobbuffet in the chest, making him look like a huge grey pincushion. The impacts were enough to knock the ever patient counter-attacking Pokémon out for the count. However, the unusual effect of the Destiny Bond attack meant that Nidoking also fainted from the same injury.

After recalling his fallen Pokémon, Mondo sucked in a deep breath and looked at Jessie again. For a few moments, he almost could have believed that it was Miya standing on the opposite side of the room. Like her mother, the girl was a deadly fighter, and, it seems, a superior trainer to he himself. He shook his head. _I am Team Rocket_, he reminded himself. _I can beat anything this cheap traitor-spawn can offer_. He pulled out another Pokéball and thumbed the 'release' pad. "Go Ditto!" he ordered as he released his morphing-type, the sire of the one that his missing (presumed dead) grandson had Trained.

Jessie frowned and released her Zquid. This promised to be a difficult battle.

***  
Domino looked on in anger as her Scizor struggled to get to her feet. A few metres away, Misty stood, with Static, her Raichu, standing by her side. "Get up, you stupid can-opener!" Domino hissed.

"Sci-sci-s-sor…" Scizor moaned and fell onto her face again, this time she was definitely unconscious. Domino hissed again in anger and frustration before recalling the Pokémon to her Pokéball. 

"Don't get too smug yet, you little bitch," the Elite Rocket snapped. "I'll make you and your rat sorry you ever came here! Go Golem!" Domino's gigantic rock-type materialised in the middle of the hallway, which was barely large enough to contain his spherical bulk. "Use Rollout!" Domino ordered. Golem roared and folded up into a spherical boulder, rolling fast towards the young Trainer.

"Oh heck!" Misty said in some horror. "Togetic, use Teleport!"

[You don't have to tell me that, Mommy!] Togetic blurted. There was a flash of white as the forms of Misty, Togetic and Static blurred like a bad TV signal and then vanished.

Golem struck the far wall, collapsing it as if it were made of paper. Misty and her Pokémon re-materialised exactly where they had stood a few seconds before. Misty quickly recalled Static to her Pokéball and swapped her for Starmax. Misty's second Pokémon, recently evolved to the third stage by use of a King Stone, jumped forwards to face the massive rock-type as it finally untangled itself from the wall and began to roll back towards them. "Use Hydro Pump attack on the big pebble, Starmax," Misty ordered.

Starmax leapt from the ground and began to whirl, a jet of water spurting from the point of each of her ten legs. The massive water-type attack stopped Golem's charge and knocked the monstrous creature back into the ruins of the far wall. Misty laughed and embraced her old friend gratefully. "You are the _best_, Starmax!"

[This doesn't need to be said,] Starmax replied smugly.

Domino shrieked in maddened fury. "I'll get you, brat," she screamed, recalling Golem and releasing another Pokémon. "Go Beedrill!" Misty's face went pure white with phobic fright as she saw Domino's starter, a huge bug/poison-type, materialise beside its' Trainer. Domino grinned in satisfaction when she saw the fear written in the younger woman's face and posture. "Use Twin Dart attack, Beedrill!" she commanded.

Four poisoned darts spat down the hallway. Three struck Starmax, making her groan in pain and one struck Misty, tearing open the right shoulder of her jacket and drawing blood. The sudden pain made Misty un-freeze and she responded in a combination of phobic terror and pain. "Use Hyper Beam!"

Domino's mouth just had time to drop open before the massive white energy beam that flashed from Starmax's sapphire-blue eye struck Beedrill and blew the bug-type backwards… into her. So intense was the attack that it continued on after striking its' target and blew a massive hole in the wall behind Domino, which happened to be an outside wall.

Misty took a moment to give Starmax an antidote before recalling her to her Pokéball. Rubbing her wounded shoulder and thinking uncharitable thoughts about bug-types, she walked forwards with Togetic keeping an eye out for trouble. The dust was settling and there was no sign of Domino, only a hole in the outside wall, through which streamed golden yellow sunlight. Peace suddenly fell.

***

Jessie grimaced and recalled Zquid as the last of the sludge attack drained away from the fainted water/poison-type's flanks. Then she swapped Pokéballs and released her favourite Pokémon. "Go Arbok!"

"Ditto, Transform!" Mondo commanded. Ditto turned into white light and turned into an exact duplicate of Jessie's starter. "Use Bite!" Mondo commanded with a slight smirk.

Use Acid, Arbok!" Jessie countered. Her giant cobra was the faster, and she spat a powerful acid into the other Pokémon's face, making it hiss in pain. In the moment of confusion, it was easy for Arbok to avoid the false Arbok's lunge. "Ha! Well done! Now use Take Down!" Arbok lunged forwards just as Mondo ordered a Poison Sting attack. Arbok's attack hit first, striking Ditto on the bottom of his jaw and sending him tumbling through the air like a massive limp purple rope. 

The morphing type shook his head and looked up at Arbok hatefully before launching its' counter-attack. The Poison Sting attack struck home but Arbok was immune to her own species' venom, so the attack was not as powerful as it could be. "You've got to go faster, Ditto," Mondo shouted. "Use Wrap!"

Jessie realised now that, for all their powers were now identical, Arbok had a speed advantage against Ditto and she intended to use it. "Use Glare!" she ordered. Arbok's eyes began to gleam with malicious power. Ditto froze as he curled across the floor to attack. It was painfully apparent that he had been completely paralysed. Jessie laughed. "Use Acid Armour and then use Take Down again!" she ordered. Poisonous secretions began to flow over Arbok's skin and she threw herself forwards towards the frozen morphing-type. The impact snapped his head back again. With the added power of the acids covering Arbok's skin, the attack was enough to finish the matter. The false Arbok turned into a white light, which shrank into a pink, shapeless blob with crossed-over eyes.

Jessie cried out in triumph and ran over to hug Arbok hard. Arbok looked very smug at having triumphed in such a tough battle and having pleased her beloved mistress. 

Mondo broke out into a sweat as he recalled Ditto, easily his toughest Pokémon, and released his Vileplume. Vileplume was totally immune to Arbok's poison _and_ knew enough powerful normal-type attacks to beat the snake. Jessie looked at the plant/poison-type (which was smiling inanely like all its' kind) for a split second before coming to her decision. "Arbok, return!" she swapped Pokéballs. "Go Magcargo!" The snail-like fire/rock-type flashed into being.

Mondo gasped in shock at seeing this Pokémon. Her Slugma had finally evolved, obviously. "Vileplume, use Double Edge!" he called out urgently.

"Use Fire Spin!" Jessie countered. Magcargo got his attack in first. He spat out a whirling tongue of flame, which completely engulfed Vileplume. The plant/poison-type screeched in agony and began to run about blindly, trying to escape the dreaded flames that surrounded it. In its' blind panic, Vileplume ran right into a control console. Vileplumes, despite being essentially walking flowers, weigh almost 250 kilograms. The impact knocked the free-standing console against another… which was right next to Old Mondo. Jessie cried out in horror as the half-ton bit of machinery crashed down on top of her old division commander.

***

Misty looked down from the hole that Starmax's Hyper Beam had made in the wall and gasped. About three feet below the hole, Domino was holding onto a length of thin steel rod, part of the re-enforcement of the building's walls, which had been torn out of the concrete by the explosion. The blonde-haired woman's face was pale, as were her knuckles. There was nothing stopping her sweat-slicked hands from sliding down the short bit of steel, sending her falling 15 storeys to her doom.

Misty wasn't a harsh person at the core, and she could never allow someone to be seriously hurt if she could avoid it. She leaned forward and stretched out her hand. "Domino, take my hand so I can haul you up!" she called out. Domino hissed like a rabid Meowth and lashed out with one hand, trying to knock Misty's hand away. This only made her hold more precarious, and the Elite Rocket slipped down another few inches. Domino screeched and grabbed on hard with both hands again.

Misty looked down in horror for a moment before coming to a decision. She pulled a length of rope from her backpack. She tied one end around her waist and had Togetic tie the other end around one of the more secure bits of protruding steel. Then she carefully worked her way out onto another bit of bent steel so she could get closer to the terrified Elite Rocket. "Domino, I don't want to hurt you!" she called out. "You've got to trust me! Give me your hand so I can haul you back inside!"

Domino looked at Misty unsteadily, her eyes wild with hate and terror. "Saved by _you_?" she snapped. "_Never_!"

"You stupid cow!" Misty shouted. "You're going to fall! You'll die!" Domino slipped another few inches. Instinctively, Misty reached out and managed to snag one of the woman's cuffs. Suddenly, to Misty's surprise and horror, Domino moved with the speed of a striking snake. She lunged forwards and grabbed Misty's ankle with both hands. The sudden weight sent Misty off balance and she fell off the bit of steel on which she had been balancing. There was a short moment of free-fall before the rope around Misty's waist stopped both women's descents.

[Mommy!] Togetic called out.

"Stay back, Togetic!" Misty replied. "I'm okay!" Domino holding on to her left ankle and the two were dangling from the rope. Misty looked down and, much to her horror, she saw that the Elite Rocket was climbing up her leg and reaching out for Misty's safety rope. The woman snatched at the knot. "Are you crazy?" Misty shrieked. "Untie that and we both fall to our deaths!"

Domino looked up at Misty in a way that made the younger woman's heart freeze in terror. There was a hatred there utterly beyond anything she had ever seen before. "Maybe," Domino said. "Or maybe I can hold onto the rope while you go sky-diving!" The older woman laughed, a hateful, insane sound. "Even if I don't, I would rather _die_ than be saved by the likes of _you_!" Domino lunged for the knot again and began to tug at it, trying to get it to come loose.

Misty was more frightened than she could ever remember being before. Suddenly she was angry. She was angry with Domino for her fanatical hatred, for being willing to die to kill an enemy. She was Angry at Team Rocket for turning the woman into this monster before her, and she was angry at destiny for putting her in the position where she had to be judge, jury and executioner.

"Team Rocket _bitch_," Misty shrieked in terror and fury. She kicked Domino in the face, breaking her nose and making blood splash out over her pale features. "I have just about…" Another kick, this one broke Domino's left cheekbone and knocked out several teeth. "…Had enough…" Yet another, this one broke Domino's lower jaw. The Elite Rocket's eyes began to cloud over. "…Of _you_!" A final kick. Domino's hands opened and the woman tumbled away from Misty. She screamed an insane caterwaul of hatred and panic, clawing uselessly at the air in a desperate attempt to strike out of her enemy one last time. Then she hit the ground with a crunch of breaking bone and was still.

Misty looked at the blood-splattered corpse for several minutes before Togetic's increasingly distressed calls finally penetrated her reeling mind. She grabbed the rope and began to haul herself up. _There was no choice_, she told herself. _She was insane… She would have killed me if I hadn't made her let go…_ Although the reasoning was good, Misty doubted that she would ever believe it. She was only thankful that it hadn't been Ash who had to make the decision. His burden was already great enough.

***

With a grunt of strain, Jessie (assisted by her Machoke) finally managed to move the massive bit of machinery off of Old Mondo. The old man was lying very still, but he was still alive, if only barely. "You stupid old man!" Jessie shouted in self-castigating anger. "Why did you have to stay and fight? You should have _known _that you couldn't have won!" Jessie fell to her knees at his side and covered her face with her hands, feeling tears running down her face. For all she hated Mondo for having let Giovanni get away with murdering her mother, he had always been kind to her. She had many good memories of her short time under his direct command. "Why, oh _why_ did you do it?" she whispered.

"Because… Giovanni… is my Master…" Mondo gasped out at last. Jessie looked up. Mondo was looking at her, blood leaking from one nostril. The man was dying. Jessie knew that and so did he. Of course, a comparatively quick death from internal haemorrhaging was a far better fate than the lingering death from Leukaemia that he had expected up to this day. Hey, thanks to shock, it didn't even hurt! Mondo swallowed and continued his explanation. "I could… never betray… him…"

Jessie shook her head. "He is a murderer!" she spat. "He has betrayed _everything_ that Team Rocket should stand for!" She sighed. "Doesn't that count for anything?"

Mondo frowned gently and found himself genuinely considering that question. There was no doubt that Team Rocket now was not what Joe Oak had originally intended it to be. Somewhere along the line, the principles seemed to have been forgotten, and Giovanni had begun to desire only power. How ironic it was that Miyamoto should have been proven right… Mondo smiled. He reached up with his still-functioning right arm and gently stroked Jessie's cheek. "So… idealistic," he whispered. "So beautiful. You are your mother's… living image…" Mondo licked his lips and tried to draw in a breath to continue, but a strange tightness in his chest limited it to a short, agonised gasp. "I… am sorry… about what Giovanni… did to Miya… moto…" he grunted out. "She was loyal… to the Cause. She… deserved… better…" Mondo's eyes had begun to glaze over. "She was right… about… Giovanni…" Mondo said, trying to force the word out now. "He… is… _insane_. Tell your brother… tell Sam… tell Delilah… Miya… was… _right_…!"

Jessie grabbed the man's hand and squeezed it tightly, trying to will him to live. "If you knew that, why did you stay with him for all these years?" she sobbed.

Blood loss was impairing the functioning of Mondo's mind, and, somehow, it was no longer Jessie sitting beside him, holding his hand, but her mother, Miyamoto Scarlet. Mondo looked at the woman beside him and smiled. "Because… in all… my years…" he whispered, "he is the only… person… man or woman… that I have ever… loved…" Mondo was still for a moment before drawing in a gentle breath and continuing. "I loved him, body… and soul. I… would… die for him… And… I… have…" Mondo managed a single coughing laugh. "And yet… I… worshipped… something that… didn't… exist…" The man's face puckered into a frown. "Joe… my one true love… is… dead. Has been… for… years…" Mondo shuddered. "Waste… Such a stupid… destructive… waste…"

"Don't blame yourself," Jessie said gently. "You are not the only one who has been blinded by loyalty and love to something that doesn't exist, that never _did _exist. For twelve years, I wore the uniform to honour a sacrifice that never happened."

Mondo moved his head slowly to look at Jessie again. "You… forgive… me…?" he asked.

"There is nothing to forgive," Jessie said gently. On an instinct, she kissed the dying man on the cheek. "Rest now," she murmured gently. "Your work is done."

Mondo smiled and a single tear ran down his face. "Thank… you… Miya…" he said. He sighed once and was still. Jessie sucked in a sob and closed his eyes. Then she sat, alone with Team Rocket's most pitiable victim, until she remembered the work still to be done. With Machoke striding along beside her, she set off once more.

***

Misty emerged from a swirl of smoke on Level 20 to see Ash's Primeape use Seismic Toss to throw a very surprised-looking Hitmonlee through a wall. The fighting-type's Trainer, a black-haired White Rocket backed off, his hands raised in surrender and fled down the corridor. "Ash!" she cried out. She ran over to seize her soul mate in a fierce hug.

"Misty, are you okay?" Ash asked, his relief vanishing as he noticed the bloody tear in her jacket and took in her obvious distress.

"Ask me again, sometime," she said with a slight smile. "I'll recover, and I'm glad to see you."

"I guessed," Ash said with that cocky grin of his. Misty kissed him and tightened her hug, needing his strength and certainty to sustain her right now.

In moments, the rest of Team Thunderbolt emerged from the smoke. Jessie looked demoralised and grim, and was obviously relying on James to continue to put one foot in front of the other. Brock looked calm and professional, as always. Joy looked a bit distressed at the violence, but was obviously holding herself together. She hissed in disapproval when she saw Misty's wound and stepped forwards to help her.

Ash took a moment to gather his thoughts. There was a presence here… One he had not felt since he rescued Mewtwo from Team Rocket, three years ago. He had not understood what that presence meant at the time, but now he knew the identity of his sire, and understood his own uncanny powers far better than he did then. He knew what it was that was now tugging at his subconscious. "Okay, here is what we're going to do," Ash said. All eyes focussed on him. "There are still twenty storeys to go. I want you five to continue, as a group now, to eliminate all opposition level-by-level."

"What about you, Ash?" James asked suspiciously.

Ash looked upwards, his eyes unfocussed. "Giovanni is up there," he said. "I have to face him, alone. If I don't do that, all this will be for nothing."

"Ash, I seem to remember someone telling me that revenge is hollow and meaningless," James said in his quiet, ironic tone of voice.

Ash grinned at the former Rocket. "Don't worry," he said. "This isn't about revenge, it's about finishing this once and for all. Are you all set? Then let's go." Ash immediately turned on his heel and moved off.

"Ash, I don't want you to go up there alone," Misty said. When Ash seemed to ignore her, she lunged forward and grabbed his arm. "Don't you dare do this, Ash Ketchum!" she shouted. "It's probably a trap."

"Misty, I have to do this," Ash replied brusquely, twisting out of Misty's grip. "We don't have time to discuss this in a committee!"

"_I am not a committee_!" Misty shouted as Ash and Raichu darted off towards a stairwell. When they were out of sight, she sagged slightly. "Stay lucky… you crazy hero," she whispered. Then she let Brock drag her off back to the fight.

***

Ash calmly ascended the ten flights of stairs without pause. Occasionally, he passed defensive positions, manned by a handful of wide-eyed technicians and trembling Dan'in. No one lifted a hand to block his progress, as all knew that he was… expected… above.

All the time, Ash could feel his father's presence growing stronger and stronger, like a storm cloud boiling in the upper reaches of the pyramid.

Ash calmly stepped forwards into a semi-darkened chamber, one the size of a Pokémon Arena. Candles beautifully illuminated the room, making a warm light flicker over everything. Raichu jumped onto Ash's back. Ash immediately noticed that at either end of the long axis of the room was a platform, a Pokémon Trainer's platform, of a highly ornate type. Over the one at his end of the room was a black banner marked with a golden hoop with a double vertical royal blue thunderbolt striking downwards through its' heart. At the other end of the room was a white banner marked with a stylised red capital letter 'R' in the centre of a red hoop.

Ash knew what was coming. He calmly climbed onto the platform underneath the Team Thunderbolt banner.

"Welcome to my play room, Ash," a calm voice said. _Giovanni_. Ash saw a man-shaped shadow on the other platform take a step forward, partly into the light but with his face still hidden. A Persian stepped to his side, smiling dangerously.

"Hello, father," Ash replied. "I'd say it is nice to see you, but I have always been a lousy liar."

Giovanni laughed. "You really are the strongest soul I've ever encountered," he said in a good-humoured tone of voice. "You know, I've waited for this moment for seven and a half years now," he announced. "Ever since you defeated my attempt to destroy you in the Viridian City Pokémon Centre on the first night of your Journey." Giovanni grunted. "I shouldn't have trusted Jessie and James to such an important mission, in retrospect."

"It might have helped if you had told them why you were _really _sending them there," Ash responded with a laugh. "It might have made them abandon you a lot earlier than they actually did."

Giovanni shook his head. "The past doesn't matter," he said firmly. "What matters is this. I have been waiting for you for a long time, Ash. You are, perhaps, the only Trainer in the entire world that is a match for me. Now you are here and we will decide your future together. Either you will live at my side… or you will die." 

Giovanni stepped forward and Ash shuddered. It was like looking in a mirror, except that Giovanni's black hair was slicked back. Nightmarishly, his left eye was white and blind. A hideous scar ran from his top lip, over his eye to his hairline and white hair continued from the end of the scar over the top of his head. That was the scar that Professor Oak's Scyther gave him while protecting Ash's mother. Giovanni laughed again, a bone-chilling sound. "So you are welcome indeed to your _destiny_…. Ash Ketchum… _my son_…"

__

To be continued…


	6. Duel of the Fates

**__**

PoKéMoN

Avenger – A Pokémon epic by BenRG

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Legal Disclaimer

Pokémon, the Pocket Monsters and their human friends and enemies are all the sole copyright and trademark property of Nintendo Entertainment and 4 Kids Productions. No breach of any copyright or legal property is intended.

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Author's Notes

This is the last part of my first _Pokémon_ fic. As sad as it is, after all this time I _still_ don't know all the monsters or all the moves. I base my story purely on what I've seen of the cartoon and absorbed from other fan works. I thank all the other Pokémon writers on this board for providing plenty of inspiration. Special thanks to Charles "RocketBoy" Reilly, Wind, Joshua Falken, Chuchino and Catalina Storm for their comments, advice and encouragement.

Text in [squared-off brackets] indicates the translation of a Pokémon's language into English.

Text in _Italics_ but not in quotes indicates thoughts.

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This is an Alternate Universe story

Ages: Ash is 17 and Misty has just turned 19; Brock is 25; Jessie and James are both 24; Richie is 17; Duplicia is 18; Sabrina is 24; Lance is 16; Joy is 29; Delilah is 38; Professor Oak is 47; Gary is 18.

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Censor: R (Equivalent to UK '15' Certificate)

Content Warning: Swearing, explicit violence, description of injuries, implied sexual activity (including non-con) and mature topics.

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Book 3 – The Return of the Crusaders

__

What has gone before…

It is the mid-twenty-first century, and in the land of Kanto, a war has begun. The heroic young Pokémon trainers known as Team Thunderbolt are waging a terrible struggle against the evil worldwide terrorist organisation Team Rocket. Leading these young heroes is Ash Ketchum, one of the greatest Pokémon trainers ever to have lived. Leading Team Rocket is the insane Giovanni diRocketti, the man once known as Joseph Oak, Ash's father.

Now, as the heroic Thunderbolts take their struggle to the headquarters of Team Rocket itself, Ash Ketchum must face the ultimate battle. Cut off from his allies and deep within the headquarters building of Team Rocket, he must face his insane father in a final all-out Pokémon battle. To the winner of this battle will go the spoils, and, quite possibly, the chance to decide the very destiny of human civilisation…

***

Giovanni shook his head. "The past doesn't matter," he said firmly. "What matters is this. I have been waiting for you for a long time, Ash. You are, perhaps, the only Trainer in the entire world that is a match for me. Now you are here and we will decide your future together. Either you will live at my side… or you will die." 

Giovanni stepped forward and Ash shuddered. It was like looking in a mirror, except that Giovanni's black hair was slicked back. Nightmarishly, his left eye was white and blind. A hideous scar ran from his top lip, over his eye to his hairline and white hair continued from the end of the scar over the top of his head. That was the scar that Professor Oak's Scyther gave him while protecting Ash's mother. Giovanni laughed again, a bone-chilling sound. "So you are welcome indeed to your _destiny_…. Ash Ketchum… _my son_…"

__

And now, the continuation…

****

Chapter 6 – The Duel of the Fates

There was a long, calm silence in the Pokémon Battle Arena high up in the Team Rocket headquarters building on Black Island. Ash Ketchum stood, staring across the arena at the creature that had once been his father. Somehow, despite the unthinkable importance of this battle, he felt so very, very calm. This was it. It was the moment for which he had born. It was the moment for which his mother and uncle had raised him to face. He was about to face Giovanni diRocketti in a Pokémon battle. To the victor would go the spoils.

Ash smiled gently. He couldn't help it. He suddenly remembered the last formal battle that he had participated in, seven long months ago, against Gary Oak. Now the circle was complete. He had returned to the starting place of his journey, his crusade, in order to complete it.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Giovanni snapped from his own podium. If his son was calm, the psychopathic leader of Team Rocket seemed incredibly tense and angry. He was clearly on edge and wanted to get this over and done with. "Are you scared, _boy_?" he asked acidically. "Maybe you are regretting not accepting my offer to let you join me?"

"No," Ash said. "I just thought it would be polite to let you chose your Pokémon first." Raichu giggled infectiously at the expression on Giovanni's face. 

After fighting his frustration for a few seconds, Giovanni sneered at his son. "Oh no, boy," he said. "I insist; after you."

Ash tilted his head in a mocking bow of thanks before pulling a Pokéball off of his bandoleer. "Venusaur, I choose you!" There was a flash of white light and Ash's big plant/poison-type materialised on his side of the starting circle.

Giovanni turned to a device that looked like a small coffee vending machine and tapped a sequence into a numerical keypad. There was a hissing noise and a panel opened up on the machine, revealing a grey-and-white Super-type Pokéball. "There are thousands of Pokémon stored in the basement of this building," Giovanni said with a sick smile, but a strangely conversational tone of voice. "It would be impractical for me to carry them _all_ of course, so I had this pneumatic tube system installed so I can call on whatever I need to beat you." Giovanni tossed the ball forwards. "Alakazam, go!"

***

Far below, Misty Waterflower turned from where she had been directing her Politoed in defeating a Team Rocket Raticate. Through the empathic link with Ash that she had slowly became aware of over the past month, she could feel the change in his emotional balance. She knew that the final, decisive battle had, at last, been joined.

"No matter what happens, always remember that I love you, Ash Ketchum…" she whispered into the air around her.

***

"Vine Whip, Venusaur!"

"Use Reflect, Alakazam!" Venusaur's vine whips struck home, but most of the impact was absorbed by Alakazam's telekinetic force shield. The psychic-type was sent tumbling end-over-end, but regained his feet in an impressive display of agility. "Now, counter with Psybeam!" Giovanni ordered sternly. Alakazam's eyes began to glow with power and a beam of psychic energy flashed from his raised left hand and struck Venusaur. The plant-type groaned in agony and staggered back.

"Stay calm, Venusaur! You can handle it!" Ash cried out encouragingly. At his side, Raichu called out in encouragement too. "Now, counter with Leech Seed!" The small and deceptively innocent-looking seed popped from Venusaur's dorsal plant and soared towards Alakazam. The psychic-type quickly jumped to one side and managed to avoid the attack, which could have otherwise sealed his defeat.

"You are doing well, Alakazam," Giovanni said in a noncommittal tone of voice. "Now, use Kinesis."

"Kazam!" The big psychic-type raised his arms and reached out telekinetically, seizing Venusaur and restricting her movements. 

"Don't worry, Venusaur," Ash said. "You can handle it. Use Take Down." Venusaur charged, but Alakazam's Kinesis attack drove her off-course and she skidded to a halt some way to the left of the psychic-type.

"End this distraction," Giovanni said in a bored tone of voice. "Use Psychic." Alakazam's eyes began to glow again. Venusaur was raised off of the ground and slammed _hard_ into the walls of the chamber, trapping her and knocking her unconscious.

"Oh crap!" Ash snapped.

Giovanni began to laugh mockingly. "So this is the 'great' Ash Ketchum," he sneered. "I don't know what all the fuss is about."

Ash scowled. Then he realised what was happening. _Don't let him get you angry_, he reminded himself. _It will cloud how you think. Focus on how to win, not on his loud mouth_.

[You can do it, Ash!] Raichu said from where he was sitting at Ash's side. The electric-type was jumping from foot-to-foot in agitation. [_I_ can do it! Let me handle that…]

"No, it's alright, Raichu," Ash said. He already had another Pokéball out and he tossed it forwards. "Go, Beedrill!" Ash's Beedrill materialised, hovering over the centre mark. Alakazam looked at his Trainer. Maybe it was Ash's imagination, but the psychic-type suddenly looked a little nervous.

"Ha!" Giovanni snorted. "Swat that bug, Alakazam, use Psywave!"

"Steady Beedrill," Ash warned. "Focus on my voice and don't let anything break that focus." Beedrill buzzed in agreement. No human could see the wave of psychic energy that struck Beedrill, but it was pretty obvious that she had not been seriously hurt from the way she continued to hover, glaring at Alakazam in a malevolent way.

Giovanni frowned. He had hoped that Psywave, which was stronger against more powerful and experienced Pokémon, would beat the bug-verses-psychic advantage. No matter. Obviously he would have to use a more direct form of attack. "Use Mega Kick, Alakazam!"

"Beedrill, use Double Team and then Pin Missile!" Suddenly, there were dozens of Beedrills hovering in a circle around the Team Rocket Pokémon. Alakazam launched his attack, but struck nothing but thin air. Alakazam looked around him in confusion, trying to figure out which of the images was his opponent.

"Don't just stand there you stupid creature!" Giovanni roared. "Use Teleport!" It was too late. The Beedrills all raised their drill-like forelegs and their abdomens to an attack posture, all pointing at Alakazam. Then from one, the one in front of and slightly to left of Alakazam, came a hail of needlepoint darts from each foreleg and the abdomen sting. The deadly darts stabbed into Alakazam's chest and made the creature stagger back. Although hurt, the psychic-type was still able to teleport away. He re-materialised standing in front of Giovanni's platform. "Use Recover and then Reflect," the scar-faced man ordered. There was not even a hint of sympathy or caring in his tone.

Ash watched for a moment, carefully analysing what he was seeing. Although the Recover move had clearly repaired most of the damage that Beedrill's Pin Needle attack caused, Alakazam was clearly still not in the best of shape. He staggered slightly behind the psychic bubble he had erected around himself. _He's been poisoned_, Ash realised. With that realisation, came a renewal of confidence. "Okay, Beedrill, let's finish this, use Fury Cutter!"

[Rock… and _roll!_] Beedrill buzzed in a fearsome tone of voice, charging for all she was worth, her foreleg drills shrieking. The impacts, although lessened by the Reflect shield, were more than enough to drive the psychic-type further back.

Giovanni was practically dancing with rage. "Use Kinesis!" he roared. Alakazam reached out, but his concentration was disrupted and he failed to connect with his telekinetic move. Another series of cuts drove Alakazam to his knees and he was in no fit state to obey Giovanni's impassioned demand for a Mega Punch attack. It was to his credit that he still attempted to launch the attack, but he missed by a wide margin.

"Fury Cutter again, Beedrill! You've got him cold!" Ash called out. Beedrill immediately lashed out at the psychic-type. Alakazam struck the ground hard and did not get up.

Giovanni scowled and was silent for a long moment. Finally, he raised the Super-ball and recalled Alakazam. "Well, that is what I get for using one of my weaker Pokémon," he said dryly.

__

You're lying, Ash thought excitedly. 

Beedrill's victory had re-invigorated him, and it had clearly enraged Giovanni. The criminal mastermind was tapping furiously at the keypad on the Pokéball dispenser. There was another pneumatic hiss and Giovanni pulled out another Pokéball. He took a moment to sneer at his son before throwing it forwards. "Come on out, Ninetails!"

Ash scowled angrily as the graceful fire-type wolf materialised in the middle of the chamber. Bugs were weak against Fire, but Ash had beaten the odds before. He would bet on Beedrill's aggression and skill any day. "Don't let him intimidate you, Beedrill! Use Poison Sting!" With a buzzing battle cry, Beedrill charged, firing poison darts from the bottom of her abdomen.

"Use Fire Wall, Ninetails!" Giovanni commanded loudly. The darts flew into the flame and were consumed instantly. "Now, use Flame-thrower!"

"Use Double-team, Beedrill," Ash commanded. 

Once again, the illusion of many Beedrills appeared, but Ninetails did not cease-fire as Ash had expected. Rather, he sustained his flame-thrower attack and span around, hosing the stream of bio-thermal fire over every Beedrill in sight. Beedrill was hit within seconds. The bug/poison-type was flung back with a buzzing cry of pain. "Beedrill, are you okay?"

[A little singed,] Beedrill admitted. [I can take it, Boss.]

Ash nodded. "Okay then, use Fury attack!" Beedrill charged and crashed into Ninetails' side, stabbing and biting for all she was worth. Ninetails staggered back, hurt and surprised.

"Use Take Down!" Giovanni commanded. Ninetails launched himself forwards, but Beedrill easily avoided the attack by darting sideways in mid-air. "Damn it!" Giovanni raged. "You stupid dog! Watch what you're doing!"

Ash smirked slightly at Giovanni's rage. He clearly needed to do a little work on the Trainer/Pokémon bond. Now Ash decided that he would try to finish this bout. "Beedrill, you are doing just great! Now, use Cut." Beedrill charged and lashed out at Ninetails, slicing a long, bleeding cut down the wolf's flanks. Ninetails yelped in pain.

"Focus, Ninetails!" Giovanni commanded. "Use Roar!" Ninetails opened his mouth and unleashed the most terrifying Roar attack that Ash had ever heard, and the fox-like fire-type had to go a _long_ way to beat Charizard. The effect was obvious and immediate. Beedrill simply _froze_ mid-air. "Use Flame-thrower!" Giovanni commanded. The blast of flame consumed Beedrill and the bug/poison-type dropped from the air.

"Ouch! Oh no… Beedrill!" Ash said in empathic sympathy. He recalled his fallen friend immediately.

Giovanni sneered at his son as he fed Ninetails a Hyper Potion. "Ready to give up yet, boy?" he asked.

Ash scowled and swapped Pokéballs. The time had come to use his second oldest Pokémon. "Go Pidgeot!"

Giovanni raised a mocking eyebrow (the only one he had, of course) as his son's big flying-type materialised. "Are you really going to make the same mistake twice?" he asked in a sneering tone of voice. "Flying-types are weak against fire-types."

"We'll see," Ash said.

Giovanni shrugged. "Whatever," he said. He looked at his Ninetails. "Don't bother doing anything elaborate, Ninetails," he said. "Swat that stupid bird with a Fire Blast."

Ninetails launched a single gigantic ball of flame. However, Ash had anticipated this. "Use Agility, Pidgeot!"

"_Pidgeeeeee_!" Pidgeot screamed, launching himself into the sky. He avoided the fireball with almost contemptuous ease. "Okay, now use Fly Attack!"

"Ninetails, use Quick Attack!" Giovanni shouted. Ninetails managed to jump high enough to hit Pidgeot, but it was only a glancing blow. The ultimate result was to put him in position for Pidgeot to seize him by the scruff of his neck and fly up towards the vaulted roof of the chamber. The bird aimed at the nearest wall and accelerated to his considerable top speed before releasing Ninetails and returning to land in front of Ash.

Ninetails continued along his trajectory until he struck the wall with a very solid-sounding crash. He slid to the ground and lay there for a long moment, shaking his head in pain and disorientation. "Stupid animal!" Giovanni hissed contemptuously. "Get on your feet and use Flame-thrower!"

"Use Sand-Attack, Pidgeot!" Ash commanded. Ninetails was stunned and was not able to react as quickly as normal. Therefore, he was still lining up to attack when the talon-full of sand and grit, part of the special flooring that the Team Rocket engineers had put down when converting the room into an arena, struck him in the face. Ninetails' attack went comfortably wide of the mark.

Giovanni hissed in annoyance. _Use a more accurate attack_ he told himself. "Use Quick Attack again!" he commanded.

"Quick Attack, Pidgeot!" Ash ordered. Both Pokémon launched themselves at the other, but Pidgeot was marginally the faster. The big bird-of-prey turned slightly to one side and slammed hard into Ninetails' side, sending the fire wolf tumbling limply across the ground. It was immediately apparent that the fire-type had fainted. 

Pidgeot landed in front of Ash and cooed in a self-satisfied way. "Well done, Pidgeot," Ash said, stroking the back of his friend's head. "You really are the toughest flying-type of them all."

[This goes without saying,] Pidgeot said smugly.

Giovanni's terrifying scar-faced scowl had taken on a murderous light. "Don't be too pleased with yourself, boy," he snapped. "This battle isn't over yet, and I am not ready to concede to the likes of you… _ever_." He had already swapped Pokéballs, sending Ninetails back to storage and pulling a new ball from the dispenser. "Go, Raichu!" he shouted, releasing his electric-type.

Ash frowned slightly. Electric-types had an advantage over flying-types. That was one of the reasons why Ash lived to see the second day of his Pokémon Journey, seven years ago now. He raised Pidgeot's Pokéball and recalled him. He swapped balls and threw a standard-type Pokéball. Time to use a Pokémon that he had known for her entire life. "Go Donphan!"

The massive ground-type materialised in front of Giovanni's electric-type. The Raichu looked at her Trainer in a way that seemed to say 'Help!' If she was expecting sympathy from the mad master-terrorist, she was gravely mistaken. "Don't just stand there, Raichu, use Tail Whip!"

The electric-type charged, but Ash was ready. "Donphan, use Rollout!" he commanded. Donphan rolled up into a wheel shape and began to roll forwards very quickly. The one-tonne Pokémon rolled forwards and knocked the Raichu flying. Then, she turned hard and slammed into Raichu again. In total, Donphan struck Raichu five times and the electric-type was left staggering across the centre of the arena, clearly badly hurt. 

Ash felt very bad at hurting a Pokémon like that, especially a Raichu, a species that he had a particular reason to care about. Suddenly, he felt a tug at the leg of his pants. He looked down at his own Raichu, who was smiling at him reassuringly. [This is a battle, Ash,] he said quietly. [My sister is an enemy that you must defeat. Once you have defeated your sire, then you may ensure that all the Pokémon that he has enslaved are cared for and freed.]

Ash nodded and looked up at the arena, his determination increased. His father had committed innumerable crimes against humans and Pokémon. This was just one more. "Okay, Donphan, let's finish this," he hissed. "Use Strength!"

"Quick Attack!" Giovanni said. Ash could tell from his father's body language that he didn't expect the attack to do much. The Team Rocket Raichu bounced off of Donphan's forehead having done little clear damage. In response, Donphan moved very close to the Raichu, and then shoved forwards with her entire body, sending the little electric-type flying through the air with a despairing cry. The Raichu hit the ground, her eyes glassy and unseeing. 

Ash had to laugh at the expression on Giovanni's face. "Like you said earlier," Ash said, "ready to give up yet?"

"Hardly," Giovanni snapped as he worked at the Pokéball dispenser. He grinned maliciously as he released his next Pokémon. "Go, Machamp!" The four-armed fighting-type materialised with an ear-bursting roar.

Ash looked at the fighting type for a moment before making his decision. "Donphan, use Rollout again!"

Donphan rolled forwards like a living avalanche. Giovanni looked calm again. "Use Counter, Machamp!" Machamp began to glow with red light. Donphan struck home, knocking the fighting-type from its' feet, but the power of Counter sent the energy back, throwing Donphan across the chamber with a roar of pain.

"Donphan!" Ash shouted fearfully. The ground-type staggered to his feet.

[I… I'll be okay, Ash-daddy,] she said. Ash blew out a breath in relief. 

"Use Earthquake!" he ordered.

"Use Seismic Toss!" Giovanni countered. Machamp had taken advantage of the pause to get in close to his adversary. Before Donphan could attack, he seized her and threw her over his shoulder in an incredible display of strength. 

Donphan hit the ground with a resonating 'crash.' Ash immediately realised that his big friend was too weak to continue fighting. He recalled her and swapped Pokéballs. "Donphan, you deserve a rest. Now it's up to you, Noctowl!"

***

Far away, in what had once been Recreational Village #02, Nikki was standing on top of a disabled Team Rocket HMMVR jeep. She was now carrying a shotgun that she had taken from an Overseer and had an automatic pistol stuck in the waistband of her coveralls. She was wearing several of the necklaces with a red 'R' pendant that identified Team Rocket agents as trophies, strung across the front of the black jacket she had taken from the body of a Dan'in. It wasn't really theft. The original owners of all those items didn't need them anymore.

Faced with a global rebellion, the Overseers had been swept aside. With the chaos at the headquarters facility, there was no air support and no reinforcements available. Apart from the area immediately around the headquarters pyramid, the island was now in the hands of the freed slaves. Nearby, there was a quickly growing pile of control collars. With the hateful things' electronic security measures destroyed, the Workers found it easy to break the single mechanical lock and remove the thing that had come to symbolise their slavery.

Now, the few surviving Overseers had been dragged before the young woman, who had found herself the acting leader of the entire island. "What do we do with these leeches?" a man hissed.

"Let's use them the way they used us!" another man shouted.

"Yeah, I could use a little 'recreation!" a woman shouted. A roar of laughter greeted her suggestion. The battered Overseers looked around them without hope and with more than a little fear. These were people that they had systematically dehumanised and abused over a period of years. They didn't expect much in the way of mercy.

"Wait!" Nikki shouted out. There was a long pause. All eyes were focussed on the 14-year-old girl standing on the jeep. "We are going to bind them, and leave them in a secure place until we can hand them over to someone in authority for a proper judgement," she announced in a quiet tone of voice which, nonetheless, seemed to reach every corner of the village. "We are _not_ going to do to them as they did to us. That would make us no better than them."

There was a rumble of discontent. "They weren't worried about high-sounding ideals when they took away our freedom, then… _used_ us… and our women and children," the first man said. He looked old enough to remember the day when Team Rocket conquered Black Island. 

Nikki looked him right in the eye. "That is all the more reason to treat them humanely," she replied. "It proves that we are better than them. It proves that we are _human_ in a way that they will _never_ be." Nikki's voice rose. "The time has come to declare our victory! I want a working radio set so we can tell the world that Black Island is free!"

There was a roar of approval. The Overseers were quickly and efficiently bound and gagged before being dragged away. Then those Workers with technical skills started working on the HMMVR's radio set, trying to modify it for long-range transmission so that the people of the newly freed island could call for help.

Nikki found herself looking at where the headquarters pyramid was, on the other side of the great ridge that bisected Black Island. The flashes and roars of explosions had ceased some time ago, but the fact that the Overseers had not received any help told her that things were going the way of the strange young man that she met only a day ago. 

Nikki thought of Ash Ketchum and smiled slightly. _Thank you, Ash_, she thought. _I hope that you are soon a free man too_.

***

Ash was sweating. Things were suddenly looking very bad. Giovanni had taught his Machamp well. Somehow, he had taught the creature Light Screen, and using the psychic energy shield had enabled it to overcome Noctowl and his Alakazam, although the latter had done some damage with his Shadow Ball attack. Giovanni was grinning at him in an infuriatingly superior way.

Suddenly, Ash had a brainwave. He was being too _aggressive_ he realised. His father always seemed to prefer using offensive moves, using defensive skills only when absolutely necessary. Well, that was something that Ash felt that he could exploit. He looked down at his side. "Okay, you're up, Raichu!"

[Yeah! About time!] Raichu squealed excitedly, leaping forwards to the starting circle.

"Oh please," Giovanni sneered. "Don't you understand that this struggle is hopeless, boy?" He shook his head. "What a pity that I am going to have to demonstrate this on your oldest and most treasured Pokémon. Machamp, don't bother with any elaborate moves. Just take the rat out with Dynamic Punch." Machamp charged, two of its' fists beginning to glow with power.

"Raichu, use Flash!" Ash countered. Suddenly, the dimly lit chamber was filled with a brilliant golden-white radiance. Raichu immediately dodged to the left and Machamp's attack missed. There was a resonating impact, and the Dynamic Punch blew a substantial crater in the floor. "Now use Agility!" Ash shouted.

Giovanni growled in frustration. "Don't just stand there, Machamp! Use Low Kick!" he snapped. Machamp leapt forwards, dipping down and sliding on one knee to deliver a low kick. However, the combination of being dazzled by the Flash and Raichu's sudden blurringly fast movements made it a futile effort. Raichu was already gone by the time that Machamp reached the point where he had been standing.

Giovanni hissed in anger. _The boy plays the accuracy card again_, he realised. "Use Karate Chop, Machamp!"

"Okay, use Thunder Wall!" Ash commanded. Raichu was surrounded with a crackling electrostatic shield bubble. Machamp's attack connected this time, but Raichu's shield absorbed most of the impact. Although he was knocked onto his back from the impact, he was not really hurt. "Great, use Flash again!" 

This time Machamp took the strobe-like Flash fully in the face and was flash-blinded for a few seconds. Giovanni didn't care much. "Use Karate Chop again, Machamp!" he commanded firmly. "Wear him down!" Machamp lashed out, but Raichu easily danced clear of the attack. 

"Great moves, Raichu! Now use Thunder!" Ash called out in a confident tone of voice.

"Use Light Screen, Machamp!" Giovanni responded.

Raichu leapt into the air and unleashed his most powerful electric-type attack with a cry of: "Rai… CHUUU!" The attack was powerful enough to overpower the Light Screen. Machamp writhed in pain and moaned loudly.

"Damn it!" Giovanni snapped. He shook his head and tried to focus on the battle. However, he was fighting an ever-growing rage that was slowly clouding his mind. Ash was far better than he had imagined. The battle between Machamp and the boy's Alakazam had been far closer than he had expected and he had almost lost control because of his frustration. However, he knew that he _had_ to remain focussed. His only chance was to wear his son down with his superior numbers. "Use Foresight and then Cross-chop, Machamp!" he ordered.

"Use Quick Attack, Raichu," Ash countered. Raichu, already a blur thanks to his use of Agility, suddenly turned into an indistinct tan blur. Before Machamp could even think, the electric squirrel zipped through the Light Screen (which could not stop physical attacks) and struck him between the eyes, knocking him to the ground. The big fighting type groaned and struggled to rise, but his limbs would not respond. _He's paralysed_, Ash realised. _The combination of the Thunder attack and the Quick Attack must have overloaded him! This is my chance!_ "Raichu, use Slam!" he ordered.

[Gotcha, Ash!] Raichu replied in a confident and excited tone of voice. He seized the fighting-type by the shoulders and threw himself onto his back, somehow throwing the 400-pound beast over him in the process. Machamp struck the ground with a resonating _crash_ and was still. A few moments later, he turned into red light, which was sucked into a Pokéball held by Giovanni. 

[Ha! Am I the best or what?] Raichu cried out excitedly, leaping into the air in an ecstatic celebration of victory. He dropped back down on Ash's side of the starting circle. He sneered at Giovanni in a cute way. [Don't feel so bad about it, _old man_,] he sneered. [Some of us have it and some of us don't. You and your slaves obviously _don't_!]

Ash wondered if Giovanni could understand what Raichu was saying. He figured that he did by the way that he scowled at the electric squirrel, his hands clenching unconsciously into fists. After a few moments when Ash seriously wondered if his father would physically explode like an over-excited Pineco, he finally swapped Pokéballs. "Enough of this," he hissed in a shaky, murderous tone of voice. "This distraction ends here and now. I am through playing with you, Ash Ketchum. Now you will fall before me as every other fool who has opposed me has done before you. Go Sandslash!"

Ash watched as the evolved ground-type materialised opposite Raichu. "Have you ever seen the battle between me and A. J. Harris for the Orange League Championship two years ago?" Ash asked in a strange tone of voice. From the way that Giovanni looked at him, Ash could tell that he didn't know what Ash was talking about. "I guess not," Ash said with a mocking laugh. "You can't plot to rule the world _and_ enjoy the League Games, can you? If you _had_, though, you would have realised that Raichu already knows how to beat the ground-verses-electric type advantage."

"You talk too much," Giovanni snapped. "Sandslash, use Swift!"

"Raichu, use Thunder Wall and then Flash!" Sandslash shot a dozen red-gold earth energy pulses from his forehead. These smashed uselessly against Raichu's shield. Then the electric squirrel turned into a golden-white flash of light again, making Sandslash blink in pain and surprise.

"Two can play at that game, _boy_," Giovanni hissed. "Use Sand-Attack, Sandslash!"

"Sleesh!" Sandslash responded, turning his back to Ash and kicking up a spray of sand and grit. However, he wasn't as accurate as he could be, and Raichu could move fast. The attack went wide by a comfortable margin.

"Okay, now use Agility!" Ash commanded. Raichu turned into a blur of motion.

Giovanni frowned. "Enough of this showing off," he said like a schoolteacher, reproving a particularly rambunctious pupil. "Use Earthquake, Sandslash!" Sandslash jumped into the air, glowing with earth-type energy, and came down hard. It was a ridiculously small impact. After all, Sandslash was only a little bigger than Raichu. However, it created a shock wave that made everyone in the room stagger off-balance. The candelabras bounced from side to side and a few tumbled over, creating a strange low-angle illumination in some corners of the chamber. Raichu was knocked off balance and fell onto his backside with a little squeak of pain.

"Raichu are you okay?" Ash called out. Raichu waved and stood again. The temblor had focussed on him and he had been quite badly hurt. Only his pride was keeping him fighting right now.

"Sandslash, use Dig," Giovanni called, confident that this would serve as a _coup-de-grace_ on his son's insultingly independent-minded electric-type.

Ash watched as Sandslash buried into the ground and vanished. He knew exactly what to do. "Raichu, use Agility again," he ordered. Raichu suddenly turned into a blur of motion. Sandslash exploded from the ground in a spot where Raichu had stood just a moment ago. "Now use Quick Attack!" Raichu blurred back and sent the ground-type sprawling over on its' back, just as he had done a few moments before.

"Use Slash!" Giovanni commanded. Ash countered by ordering another Quick Attack. The agile Raichu easily dodged the scything sweep of Sandslash's deadly claws and struck the ground-type in the gut, knocking him onto his back. Giovanni suddenly realised that his Pokémon was in serious trouble. He was clearly unable to connect with Ash's Raichu thanks to his agility and the after-effects of the Flash attack. Ash's Raichu, however, was more than able to hit _him_. "Okay, use Defence Curl," he commanded. Sandslash curled up into a tight ball and was able to take the next Quick Attack without suffering as much damage as before. Indeed his tough outer armour may have even caused Raichu some damage.

Ash looked at Raichu, who shot him a thumbs-up. He wanted to finish this. "Okay, use Slam!" he commanded. Raichu darted forwards and grabbed the balled-up ground-type. Like he did with Machamp, Raichu threw himself onto his back, tossing his opponent through the air. Sandslash hit the ground hard and unfolded with a groan of pain.

Giovanni realised that he had to end this. Sandslash couldn't take much more of this punishment. "Use Earthquake!" he commanded.

Ash didn't need to give a counter-order. Raichu could sense what he was thinking and shot forwards to deliver a Quick Attack. Sandslash scraped to a halt at the foot of Giovanni's platform, quite unconscious.

There was a long pause after Giovanni recalled his beaten Pokémon. He suddenly had a new respect for his son. He truly was the best opponent that he had _ever_ faced. "Ash!" he called out. 

Ash looked up from where he was tending to Raichu's injuries, giving him a potion and ensuring that there were no open wounds anywhere. "Yeah?" he asked suspiciously.

"It isn't too late for you, son," Giovanni said in a sly, almost _friendly_ tone of voice. "You can still take your deserved place by my side. Don't make me destroy you. You deserve a better destiny."

Ash simply raised an eyebrow in contempt. "Why do you keep on wasting your breath?" he asked. "You know that I would never join you. You are the personification of every quality that I hate."

Giovanni shrugged gamely. He had tried. What happened now was on the boy's own head. "So be it," he said easily. He had already selected his new Pokémon. Now he threw the Pokéball forwards. "Go Tyranitar!"

Ash didn't hesitate. "That's enough, Raichu," he said, drawing a standard-type Pokéball. "Go Charizard!" As Raichu rejoined Ash on the platform, Charizard materialised with a defiant roar, one that the massive rock/earth-type Tyranitar responded to, just as loud.

Ash frowned. The Tyranitar was one of the strongest fighting Pokémon of them all. It was incredibly strong and knew a wide range of combat skills that made it equal to any threat, even those that had a paper advantage over it. This would be a difficult one to win.

The pause for consideration in the battle arena suddenly ended. "Use Hyper Beam!" Giovanni roared.

"Charizard, use Fly!" Charizard shot upwards just as the red-gold energy beam shot through the spot he had been standing just a few seconds before. The impact blew a substantial crater in the wall behind Ash's head. 

"Shit! Use Leer!" Giovanni snapped. Tyranitar tried to comply, but the fear-inducing attack wasn't enough to stop Charizard from seizing him and trying to lift him into the air. Tyranitar, whose outer armour plate was composed of quartic crystal like all rock-types, was too heavy to lift easily, but Charizard was still able to perform a half toss and throw him back into the wall of the chamber near where Giovanni was standing. The attack wasn't as effective as it _could_ be, but it would suffice.

Giovanni growled dangerously as Tyranitar extracted itself from the wall. "Serves you right," he told his abashed Pokémon. "Next time, you will learn to attack more quickly. Now, get back out there and use Sandstorm!"

Tyranitar growled dangerously and jumped back out into the arena. He immediately began to beat the arena floor with his powerful tail, creating a powerful storm of flying sand and gravel. Charizard growled in pain and turned his head, unable to see through the sandstorm. Even if he dared open his eyes, the flying debris would blind him. To make things worse, the Sandstorm attack was also doing damage every second. It was like standing in the path of a sand-blaster.

Ash could hear Giovanni's mocking laughter. Maybe he should have taught Charizard Light Screen… Suddenly, Ash had an idea. He looked at Raichu, who looked back questioningly. "Get on my back, Raichu, and use Thunder Wall," he commanded. He looked up. "Charizard! Back towards my voice!"

[I'm not running away!] Charizard growled rebelliously.

"Just trust me, Charizard!" Ash shot back. "Have I ever betrayed you?"

Charizard grumbled, but he couldn't deny that fact. When a sparkling dome of white-gold electrostatic energy had fully surrounded Ash, he suddenly leapt off of the platform and onto Charizard's back. Protected by Raichu's electrical shield, he could see well enough to tell where Tyranitar was standing. He grabbed Charizard by his horns and pointed his head in the right direction. "Okay, now use Fire Blast!"

[Well… Okay, if you say so…] Charizard said doubtfully. He opened his mouth and unleashed an enormous fireball, which roared through the sandstorm and slammed into Tyranitar, knocking him from his feet. With the rock/earth-type down, the Sandstorm attack quickly dissipated.

Giovanni couldn't believe his eyes. "What the…? _Shit_! That is cheating you little…"

"Yeah, like you have ever cared about the rules," Ash replied tartly. "All I did was direct my Pokémon's attack. There is nothing in the rule book against that."

Giovanni spluttered and spat incoherently at the sight of Ash's smug grin. "Okay," he said. "You just keep patting yourself on the back you arrogant _boy_. Tyranitar, use Hyper Beam again!"

"Use Flash, Charizard!" Ash commanded. Charizard curved his tail around so that the blazing fire at its' very tip was facing Tyranitar. Then he concentrated and the flame burned with blinding brilliance for a split second. Tyranitar was dazzled, and the Hyper Beam went wild again, this time demolishing the archway through which Ash had made his entrance. 

Ash looked at the wreckage with a sigh. _Obviously I'm going to be digging my way out of here_, he thought. _Good thing that I brought my Sandslash with me today_. He turned his attention back to the battle. Giovanni had just commanded an Earthquake attack. Ash pointed upwards. Responding to his feelings and thoughts, Charizard responded by taking to wing. The Earthquake knocked everyone from his or her feet, but didn't affect Charizard, who was safely airborne. "Use Dragon Rage!" Ash ordered.

[Prepare to be defeated!] Charizard roared. He swept across the chamber and seized Tyranitar with all four limbs, wrapping himself around the rock/earth-type. Charizard began to glow with a luminescent green power. He partially lifted off, and then suddenly threw himself downwards, slamming Tyranitar into the ground and the green glow seemed to discharge with a loud 'bang.' Tyranitar bellowed in pain and fury.

Charizard separated from his victim and flew back to his Trainer. Tyranitar staggered to his feet. Ash, meanwhile, had begun to be concerned. He only had just over 30 Pokémon with him, while Giovanni had access to thousands. Eventually, his father would wear him down. So long as he had access to the base's stockpiled Pokémon, he had the long-term advantage… Ash suddenly decided that he had to have a back-up plan. He pulled a hypospray of Max Revive out of his medical pouch and passed it to Raichu. The little electric-type looked at his Trainer in confusion for a few seconds. Then he noticed the way that Ash was looking at Venusaur, still imbedded in the wall. Raichu grinned and nodded. He scampered off towards the unconscious plant/poison-type.

"Tyranitar," Giovanni cried out, "use Screech and then Bite!" The massive Pokémon lifted his head and unleashed the most nerve-jangling sound that Ash had ever heard. Charizard looked shaken and dropped back to the arena floor. A few moments later, the Team Rocket Pokémon was charging towards him, its' massive maw agape.

"Don't panic, Charizard," Ash called out. "Use Flame-thrower!" Charizard breathed out a stream of bio-thermal flame that shot straight down Tyranitar's maw. The rock/earth-type screamed in agony and tumbled to the ground in a dead faint.

Ash jumped into the air with glee. "Yeah! Great work, Charizard! You are the strongest of them all!" Charizard said nothing to disclaim that title. He didn't even succeed in looking modest.

Giovanni recalled his Pokémon and was still for a moment. He looked crestfallen, and a bit taken aback, for the first time in the battle. Ash figured that he had expected his Tyranitar to be unbeatable. After a moment he scowled and glared at Ash, his white and blind left eye making that experience all the more nightmarish. He swapped Pokéballs using his dispenser and threw the new Pokéball forwards. "Go, Golem!" The huge living boulder materialised in the centre of the chamber.

Ash lifted Charizard's Pokéball. "You've done your usual great job, Charizard," he said. "Enough for now." After recalling the red dragon, Ash swapped balls and threw a Lure-ball forwards. "Go Feragatyr!"

The dinosaur-like oceanic crocodile materialised opposite Golem and immediately began his excitable dance, which looked pretty terrifying now he was fully evolved. "Use Bubblebeam, Feragatyr," Ash commanded

"Use Fissure!" Giovanni countered. Golem jumped in the air and struck the floor, creating a focussed shock wave that shot right at the hapless Feragatyr, knocking him over. The impact was so strong that it nearly knocked him unconscious in one move. Ash was suitably impressed and decided that a substitution was in order. "As you can see, you are not the only one who can beat a type disadvantage," Giovanni sneered.

***

Several levels below, Misty looked up, feeling Ash's worry. She turned to the other Thunderbolts, who had linked up with her as they pushed up the main staircase in a desire to finish the remaining resistance in the over-ground levels of the pyramid. They had sealed off the sub-levels at the outset, so the battle could soon be over.

"Ash needs our help," she suddenly announced. "We need to get up to Level 30 as quickly as possible."

The others looked at each other in a slightly worried way. Misty sounded so _certain_ that it left them all speechless. _How does she know?_ was the thought that occurred to them all. _This is all _too_ weird for my tastes _Jessie added with a slightly nervous smile.

"It will take us a while to push through these defensive lines," Joy said thoughtfully. "They seem to have been arranged just to delay us."

"Ah, that might not be a problem," Brock said, pulling a Pokéball off of his bandoleer. He activated it and released his Onyx. "Let's travel in style!"

"Are you suggesting what I think that you are suggesting?" Jessie asked suspiciously.

"Meowth! It's da only way ta travel!" Meowth said positively, climbing up onto the rock-type serpent behind Brock, Joy and Misty. 

Jessie looked at James who shrugged and clambered up too. She sighed. "When in Rome, I guess…" she said.

***

Ash filtered out his father's mocking words as he swapped balls and released Meganium. The plant-type immediately jumped up alongside Ash and began to rub his face with her head. Ash laughed and managed to fend her off. "It's good to see you too, Meganium," he said. "Concentrate now."

[Okay Ashy,] she said reluctantly. She glared at Golem dangerously and jumped down to the Arena floor.

"Use Fissure again," Giovanni said confidently.

"Dodge!" Ash shouted. Meganium easily leapt over the focussed shock wave. "Now use Razor Leaf!"

"Defence Curl!" Giovanni countered. In response, Golem folded up into a rocky sphere. However, it wasn't enough. The razor-sharp leaves that flew from the flowery 'ruff' around Meganium's neck slashed through Golem's tough outer shell and deep into its' silicon-based body. It screeched in pain and staggered backwards. "Focus you stupid pebble!" Giovanni snapped. "Use Rollout!"

"Use Sweet Scent!" Ash commanded. Golem folded up into a ball again and began to roll forwards. Simultaneously, Meganium began to waft pheromones over towards the oncoming rock-type behemoth. The chemicals immediately had the desired effect. Golem drifted off-course and slowed down to a comparative crawl.

"_No_!" Giovanni shouted. The man was practically dancing with rage. "You rock-brained… _Focus on my voice and continue your attack_!"

Ash however, was not looking at his father, or either combatant. The injection provided by Raichu had revived Venusaur and had restored her full strength. Ash simply gestured to the big dinosaur-like plant/poison-type, miming a wrap and throw move. Venusaur reached out with her vine whips and seized the slow-moving Golem. She lifted the startled and disoriented Pokémon into the air and threw him across the room at the target that she had gleaned from her Trainer's thoughts.

Golem struck the Pokéball dispenser at Giovanni's side with a massive concussion. The device had been built tough, but few things were tough enough to stop a 5-ton airborne boulder. The Pokéball dispenser simply ceased to exist. It was crushed into scrap metal.

There was a long, long pause before Giovanni, who was sweaty and pale, found his voice. "Ah… Well played," he said at last.

Ash shrugged. "Elementary strategy," he said. "You find your opponent's weak spot and exploit it."

Giovanni smiled in a thin-lipped way. "You _are_ strong, and cunning," he said. "You are everything that I hoped that you would be." Ash shot him a strange look. "You must realise now that what I have said time and time again is true," he said. "You _belong_ at my side! Your destiny is to rule, not to be another sheep! Join me, Ash! Join me and I will give you the position you deserve!"

Ash stared at his father, who was standing there, his hand extended in a gesture of friendship. It was strange that it should happen at this time, but a quotation from the Bible suddenly entered Ash's thoughts. The words of the Devil to Jesus Christ after showing him the glory and power of all the kingdoms of the world: "All these things I will give you if you fall down and do an act of worship to me."

Ash recalled Meganium and Venusaur to their Pokéballs and looked proudly at his father… or rather the twisted monster inhabiting his father's body. "Giovanni, I want nothing that you could possibly offer me," he said clearly. "That is, except one thing: Your surrender. It is over 'Father.' You cannot fight any further. I am going to bring you to justice. Whether conscious or unconscious when I do so is entirely up to you. I couldn't care less."

Giovanni lowered his hand and sneered. "I had hoped that you would have a more… _enlightened_ vision, boy," he said at last. "However, I see now that my ex-wife and my brother have corrupted you beyond use." The man shrugged. "If you will not join me, then you will meet your destiny." He turned and touched a control panel behind his platform. A circular door irised open.

"Hey! Where do you think that you are going?" Ash shouted. He leapt off of the platform and ran towards his father. Raichu leapt down alongside him, his cheek-pads crackling with electricity. Giovanni sneered and pressed another button. The wall panels of the chamber suddenly popped open and dozens of Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee crowded in.

"Goodbye, 'Son,'" Giovanni laughed and ducked through the door, which closed behind him.

The fighting-types stalked forwards towards Ash and Raichu. The look on their faces communicated all-too-clearly their murderous intent. "I guess this is it, pal," Ash said. Raichu sighed and nodded reluctantly. Ash pulled out his long survival knife and prepared to make an honourable end of it.

Suddenly, the floor exploded open and Brock's Onyx emerged with a roar of fury. The rock-type circumnavigated the room in one long Rock Slide attack, knocking all the fighting-types from their feet. 

There was a 'pop-flash' sound and Misty's Psyduck materialised at Ash's feet. "Psyduck, use Psychic!" Misty cried out.

Psyduck unleashed his most powerful attack, its' power further greatened by the strength of his headache, which the fear and confusion of the long battle had worsened to paralysing strength. The fighting-types didn't stand a chance. The luckiest of them fainted while the others found themselves paralysed as they went into free-fall through the holes in the floor that Onyx's assault had opened beneath their feet.

There was a long silence before Misty ran over to Ash and hugged him hard, laughing in joy. "Ash! You're okay!" she cried out. The two lovers enjoyed an immensely passionate kiss.

[Ah, young love!] Raichu said mockingly.

[Uh… what…?] Psyduck asked, peering stupidly at his Trainer and her mate.

[Surely this isn't the time,] Onyx said, turning her large head away in disgust.

"Meowth! Give 'em a break already!" Meowth snapped, nudging Onyx, who sighed and looked back.

"Where's Giovanni?" asked Jessie looking around. She owed that guy as much as anyone, more than most. It would be a disappointment if Ash had already killed him.

"He went up that tunnel," Ash said, pointing to the now-sealed doorway. "We have to go after him." He felt Misty hold onto him a bit tighter. "Misty, we need to finish this," he said gently. "Just one more push and we can rest."

The six Thunderbolts looked at each other and then, seemingly as one, they nodded firmly. With their Pokémon ready, they stepped towards the sealed doorway and the passageway to the final struggle.

__

To be concluded…


	7. The Return of the Crusaders

**__**

PoKéMoN

Avenger – a Pokémon epic by BenRG

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Legal Disclaimer

Pokémon, the Pocket Monsters and their human friends and enemies are all the sole copyright and trademark property of Nintendo Entertainment and 4 Kids Productions. No breach of any copyright or legal property is intended.

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Author's Notes

This is the last part of my first _Pokémon_ fic. As sad as it is, after all this time I _still_ don't know all the monsters or all the moves. I base my story purely on what I've seen of the cartoon and absorbed from other fan works. I thank all the other Pokémon writers on this board for providing plenty of inspiration. Special thanks to Charles "RocketBoy" Reilly, Wind, Joshua Falken, Kaz-Ohki and Catalina Storm for their comments, advice and encouragement.

Text in [squared-off brackets] indicates the translation of a Pokémon's language into English.

Text in _Italics_ but not in quotes indicates thoughts.

Text in "_Quotes and Italics_" are voices coming from a phone or speaker of some kind.

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This is an Alternate Universe story

Ages: Ash is 17 and Misty has just turned 19; Brock is 25; Jessie and James are both 24; Richie is 17; Duplicia is 18; Sabrina is 24; Lance is 16; Joy is 29; Delilah is 38; Professor Oak is 47; Gary is 18.

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Censor: R (Equivalent to UK '15' Certificate)

Content Warning: Swearing, explicit violence, description of injuries, implied sexual activity (including non-con) and mature topics.

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Book 3 – The Return of the Crusaders

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What has gone before…

It is the mid-twenty-first century, and in the land of Kanto, a war has begun. The heroic young Pokémon trainers known as Team Thunderbolt are waging a terrible struggle against the evil worldwide terrorist organisation Team Rocket. Leading these young heroes is Ash Ketchum, one of the greatest Pokémon trainers ever to have lived. Leading Team Rocket is the insane Giovanni diRocketti, the man once known as Joseph Oak, Ash's father.

At last, the final struggle has begun. By superior strength, tactics, guile and by his unmatched bond with his Pokémon friends, Ash has defeated his insane father in battle. Now, the forces of light have gathered together to end the long crusade that has cost them all so much. They are ready to pursue Giovanni into the very heart of his empire. The question is… can the man who founded Team Rocket ever be _truly_ beaten? And if so… at what cost?

***

Misty ran over to Ash and hugged him hard, laughing in joy. "Ash! You're okay!" she cried out. The two lovers enjoyed an immensely passionate kiss.

[Ah, young love!] Raichu said mockingly.

[Uh… what…?] Psyduck asked, peering stupidly at his Trainer and her mate.

[Surely this isn't the time,] Onyx said, turning her large head away in disgust.

"Meowth! Give 'em a break already!" Meowth snapped, nudging Onyx, who sighed and looked back.

"Where's Giovanni?" asked Jessie looking around. She owed that guy as much as anyone, more than most. It would be a disappointment if Ash had already killed him.

"He went up that tunnel," Ash said, pointing to the now-sealed doorway. "We have to go after him." He felt Misty hold onto him a bit tighter. "Misty, we need to finish this," he said gently. "Just one more push and we can rest."

The six Thunderbolts looked at each other and then, seemingly as one, they nodded firmly. With their Pokémon ready, they stepped towards the sealed doorway and the passageway to the final struggle.

__

And now the conclusion…

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Chapter 7 – The Return of the Crusaders

The six Thunderbolts were standing on the platform that Giovanni had used during his battle with Ash. Jessie and James were peering at the control panel that the mad master criminal had used to open the circular hatch. Once the door was open, then they could take up the pursuit of their enemy once more. James shook his head. "There are no labels," he said. "I can't figure out what control Giovanni used to open the door."

"Of course there aren't any labels," Jessie responded with a little of her old acidic sarcasm. "Do you think that he would have something like that painted red with 'Press this one to open the back door to my Inner Sanctum' written on it in capital letters?"

"Do you have any ideas?" James asked, gritting his teeth. "Or you just want to stand there and insult me?"

"Truce, guys," Ash said, kindly but firmly. He turned to the only other member of Team Thunderbolt who might know the secret of this control panel. "Meowth?"

The small normal-type shrugged. "Don't look at me, Ash!" he said. "Meowth was just da Boss's top cat. He never told Meowth his secrets!"

Ash hissed out a breath through his teeth in frustration. Suddenly Brock stepped forwards. "Perhaps a less subtle method is in order," he suggested, pulling a Pokéball from his Bandoleer. "Come on out, Golem!" Brock's starter Pokémon materialised in front of the door as Jessie and James backed off quickly. "Golem, use Dynamic Punch!"

Golem roared, his right fist glowing with earth-type power and punched the centre of the door. The iris-like hatchway peeled open like a flower opening to a new day with a terrifying screeching sound. There was a long pause while everyone else thought: _Why didn't _I_ think of that?_ Joy walked up and planted a little kiss on Brock's cheek, making the tall black-haired man blush.

"I like the way that you think," Jessie told Brock. She was just about to stride up the staircase that Golem's attack had revealed when James grabbed her arms and pulled her back. "James! What do you think you are doing?" she scolded.

"Think about it, my love," he said quietly. "You know Giovanni. Do you think that he would leave something like this unguarded? There are probably all kinds of booby traps in there!"

"James is right," Misty agreed. "We have to assume that Giovanni planned for this moment."

Ash turned to Raichu. "I think that we can handle just about anything that he throws at us, right pal?"

[You bet, Ash!] the electric squirrel replied.

"Ash, don't be overconfident!" Misty said.

Ash just grinned and winked at her in his usual infuriating way. He and Raichu walked up to the doorway. Before Misty to offer another protest, Ash turned to his friend and gave him a command. "Raichu, use Thunder attack!" Raichu concentrated and unleashed his most powerful electric attack, sending a river of lightning flashing up the stairwell. There were several explosions as electronic apparatus in the walls exploded or shorted-out. Ash turned back to his friends and grinned. "And that is how you do that," he said smugly. "Come on, guys, let's go see Giovanni."

Ash, with Raichu in the lead, started to ascend the stairs. Misty sighed and shrugged before turning to follow him. Brock and Joy were next to enter the smoke-darkened tube-like stairwell. Jessie and James looked at each other in a determined way and joined hands before brining up the rear. Meowth took a few moments to look at his claws before setting off too. "Meowth's been waiting for this," he murmured to himself in a dark tone of voice.

"Hey, hurry up, Meowth!" James called. The feline Pokémon shook his head and ran off to join his friends in their ascent to face the man at the heart of the darkness.

***

The stairwell reversed direction halfway up, indicating that they were near the outer walls of the pyramid-like building. Everyone agreed that Brock's Magneton should 'sanitise' this second stretch of stairs just as Raichu did to the first. 

Within a minute, the six heroes and their Pokémon friends reached the end of the line. Ash looked at the thin metal door blocking the path for a moment before turning to his friends. "Okay, this is it," he said. "We all know that Giovanni is expecting us, so be ready for anything right?" Everyone nodded. Brock, Jessie, Joy and James all pulled out a Pokéball. Ash looked at his half-sister for a moment before continuing. "If possible, I want him alive," he said. There were five firm nods of agreement. Ash looked closely at Jessie. Considering the amount of agony that their father's fall into darkness had caused Jessie… "Jessie?" he asked quietly.

Jessie smirked. "As much as I want to grind that overgrown Grimer under my boot," she said, "I know that we have to bring him to justice. Don't worry Ash. I won't ensure that our dear 'father' has an unfortunate and fatal 'accident.'"

Ash nodded with a slight smile before turning back to the doorway. "Okay, let's do it," he said. Everyone backed off as Brock's Foretress glided forwards, ready for an Explosion attack.

***

Giovanni looked up in shock, but not as surprised as he could be, when the door to the stair-tube leading down to the Battle Arena suddenly blew out of its' frame and 'clanged' against the far wall. "Weezing, use Smokescreen!" shouted a nauseously familiar nasal voice. A three-lobed poison-type Pokémon shot out of the smouldering doorway and began to spray out a choking black smoke-like gas. Giovanni reacted immediately by grabbing a little something that he had withdrawn from the armoury earlier that day.

As the Thunderbolts dove out of the doorway as fast as they can, Misty saw the glint of light off of gunmetal. "Togetic, use Reflect!"

[Right away, Mommy!] Togetic cried in an excited tone. There was a rattle of gunfire as Giovanni fired his Uzi sub-machinegun, but the 9mm bullets bounced uselessly off the little psychic-type's defensive force shield. In a few seconds, the gun ran dry. Giovanni cursed and struggled to reload. In his urgency, he dropped the spare 30-round clip that he had left on his desk, making him curse even more venomously than before.

"Use Psychic!" Misty ordered. Togetic lashed out and threw the man against the far wall with a mind-numbing psychic attack. Giovanni dropped the Uzi as he flew backwards, roaring more in frustration than pain. Stunned, all Giovanni could do was lie against the back wall, groaning and muttering as he tried to regain his full senses. 

In the pause, Ash and the others looked around themselves for a moment, astounded at the darkened room that he and his friends had just broken into. The roof was almost invisible, soaring above them on flying buttresses. Decorating the walls, either hung or on shelves that lined the walls, were one-of-a-kind artworks and baronial wall hangings, making the room seem like a cathedral or the inner sanctum of some sort of feudal lord. Giovanni had been standing behind a massive, ornate desk, working on a desktop terminal, no doubt connected to a redundant computer shielded from electromagnetic pulses. Ash felt a certain awe for a few seconds. This would have to be Giovanni's office, the place where, in the days of his power, he had run his massive organisation. Now, that power was all but gone and Ash intended to make an end of this here and now. "Everyone stay back!" Ash shouted as he sprinted forward towards his father. 

Ash leapt onto the desk just as Giovanni staggered to his feet and drew a gold-plated Magnum 44" semi-auto pistol. Ash kicked the weapon from Giovanni's hand and then let rip with a twisting punch that made the man stagger back a few paces. Then he jumped on his father, intending to wrestle him to the ground.

Misty and the others stepped forwards to help their friend and leader when they all heard the most fearsome growl that any of them had heard. They turned to see Giovanni's Persian stalking forwards from the right, her red charm glowing with power. Reacting to her Trainer's rage and mania, the normal-type Pokémon had gone deep into a kind of battle madness.

Everyone was frozen by the power of Persian's Growl attack for a few moments. Then, with a terrifying shriek, the normal-type lunged into the air, her mouth wide open as she aimed to tear out Misty's throat with one bite.

"Oh no ya don't!" cried an unmistakable voice. Meowth struck Persian mid-air in a perfectly executed Take Down attack. The two Pokémon struck the floor together and rolled over a few times before they could untangle themselves and stagger to their feet.

The two long-term rivals eyed each other thoughtfully for a moment. [So you choose to face me, Traitor,] Persian snarled. [That will be your last mistake.]

"Youse talk too much, ya stuck-up, preening _nothin_'!" Meowth replied scornfully. Persian roared in fury and lunged forward, intending to carve open Meowth with a single Slash. Meowth dived to one side, barely dodging the attack, and used Screech, an attack that he hadn't used since he had learnt Talk. _Hey! It's good dat da ol' skills still work!_ Meowth thought happily. Persian froze for a split second and Meowth charged, laying into his hated rival with his Fury Swipes.

Persian fell back a few paces and then countered with Charm Terror. The red crystal on her forehead began to sparkle with light, freezing Meowth in his tracks for a heartbeat. Then she discharged a Faint Attack, a red-gold wave of energy that bowled Meowth over. [_Die_!] she roared, leaping forwards to finish the fight with a Bite attack. As she did so, a Charm Laser attack struck her in the centre of her belly. She fell to the ground and Meowth leapt forward, using Fury Swipes again. The battle had moved closer and closer to the access to the stairwell from the start, and this time, Meowth knocked Persian down the stairs.

"Meowth!" James called stepping towards his old friend. There were dozens of questions in that one word.

Meowth waved at his lavender-haired friend cheerily. "I can handle dis one, Jamie-boy," the feline Pokémon called. "You guys help Ash out wid da big bad guy!" With that, he jumped down the stairwell too. The sounds of a genuine catfight began to echo up from below.

As Meowth had pointed out, everyone had been so absorbed by the conflict between him and Persian that everyone had forgotten the spectacle of father and son grappling on the floor. Giovanni had finally got Ash off of him by the crude but effective method of slamming the palms of his hands against Ash's temples, concussing him for a few seconds. The man jumped to his feet and aimed a kick at his son's face. However, Ash had already recovered enough to jump backwards and avoid the blow.

There was a long pause as the two men, father and son, glared at each other. There was an unsettling light in Giovanni's good eye. It was the light of limitless rage… or utter madness. As everyone looked on, Giovanni reached behind him and pulled out a knife with a long, jagged blade. There were a series of 'pop-flash!' sounds as Brock's Golem, Joy's Pikachu, Jessie's Arbok and James' Tetrantula materialised. "Ash…" Misty called.

Ash gestured briefly. He didn't want any interference at this time. This was between him and Giovanni, just as it had always meant to be. "Die," Giovanni said in a totally level tone of voice. With an inhumanly fast blur of motion, the man lunged forward to gut the boy in front of him. Ash dodged sideways and elbowed Giovanni in the gut, before smashing his fist backward into the man's face. Then he turned back to kick Giovanni in the solar plexus, making the man stagger back. Ash then reached forward to grasp Giovanni's knife arm by the wrist and tossed the man over his shoulder. Giovanni landed with a loud grunt of pain, which turned into a furious screech when Ash twisted his wrist and made him let go of the knife.

Giovanni rose to his hands and knees scooted backwards from Ash as the boy advanced on him, his expression calm and firm. Giovanni, on the other hand, looked frantic as he desperately tried to focus enough to get out of this situation. Suddenly he spotted something and his eyes lit up with maniacal glee. He snatched up his Magnum semi-auto from where it had fallen after Ash had disarmed him earlier, and pointed it at his son. "And now…" he said in a triumphant tone of voice. Ash stepped backwards and prepared to dodge, knowing that he had to wait for the last second.

"Chaaarrr-bok-aaarrr!" Jessie's Arbok Tackled Giovanni and sent the man rolling away across the floor. The gun flew from the man's hand and, as if directed by some unseen force, it clattered to a stop at Ash's feet.

Jessie looked on with a superior expression as Giovanni rolled to a halt against the far wall. She took a moment to thank Arbok before turning to the man who had made her life a long, dark nightmare. "I owe you that and more, 'father'," she said in her superior tone of voice, "so I think that the time has come for you to surrender."

Giovanni sat up and looked on as Ash walked over. Misty gasped in terror when she realised that Ash was holding his father's pistol. Giovanni looked up at Ash and looked into his son's eyes angrily before speaking. "Do it!" he ordered in a harsh tone of voice. "Shoot me down like the dog that I am! Don't try to fool yourself into believing that you don't want to kill me! I can see the hatred in your heart! Shoot! _Now_! Then your Journey will at last be complete, and you will attain to your destiny by taking my place as the Leader of Team Rocket!" There was a long pause. Ash had half-raised the pistol. "Don't forget all the crimes that I have committed, most importantly against your friends and kin," Giovanni sneered. "I killed your twin sister, remember? It was my orders that lead to the devastation of your hometown and the murder of that bit of cannon fodder that you befriended… What was his name…? Oh yes, Tracey Sketchitt. Well, no loss." Giovanni laughed mockingly and looked at Ash. "You want revenge? Then blow my brains all over the wall, send my soul to Hell and _take my place_!"

Ash had raised the gun all the way now. It was true that the creature that had once been his father was guilty of innumerable crimes. Even if Ash were to take him to the police, there was no guarantee that he would face trial, or that, if he did, he would be convicted. Lawyers and intimidation could corrupt any jury and any judge… And, let's face it. After all the crimes that Giovanni had committed, shooting him down like a rabid dog would not be murder, it would be an act of mercy. No jury on Earth would convict… It would be so easy; just point and shoot… Ash's finger had tightened on the trigger slightly, activating the pistol's laser targeting spot. A dot of bright red light had appeared on Giovanni's sweat-slicked forehead. In an insane touch, the man was grinning and laughing to himself, a mad little chuckle.

Misty cried out quietly, covering her mouth in instinctive dread. Raichu took a single loping step forwards, but felt afraid to get too close to the silent tableaux. [Ash…] he called out fearfully, but there was no indication that his Trainer had heard his voice.

Suddenly Ash heard Professor Oak reminding him that _no man_ had the right to set himself up as judge, jury and executioner. The horrors that Team Rocket were perpetrating on this island had clouded Ash's mind; he realised that now. In his rage and motivated by a desire to do… _something_, he had killed and maimed people out there. Admittedly, those people were criminals of the worst kind, but it was not really something that he had the _right_ to do… It would be so easy to pull the trigger, but it would mean that he was claiming the same powers that his father claimed for himself two decades ago, leading to endless anguish.

Suddenly, Giovanni tired of the wait. "KILL ME!" he shouted, his eyes bulging out and his face red with exertion.

Ash blinked, suddenly aware again of where he was and of the passage of time. He took two steps back from his father before releasing the pistol's trigger. He engaged the weapon's safety catch, ejected its' magazine and then threw it away from him. "No," Ash said. Everyone let out a relieved sigh and Misty closed her eyes in a prayer of thanks, tears running down her cheeks. It had been _that_ close. 

"This battle is over, father," Ash said, turning away from the broken, pitiful shell of a man that had once been the world's greatest Pokémon Trainer and hero. "We are going to take you to Viridian City, where you will surrender the remains of your organisation to the UN before you go on trial for your crimes."

"_Never_!" Giovanni hissed. The man staggered to his feet and began to edge towards his desk. "You will never have the satisfaction of seeing _me_ humbled and begging some tribunal for mercy! I will _never_ allow myself to be caged like an animal!"

"That is all that you are," Jessie said in a disdainful tone of voice.

"What do you think that you can fight with to stop us?" James asked with a slight sneer. "We've cut through every tactic and weapon that you've tried to use against us."

Giovanni stood up straighter. "Giovanni diRocketti does not deign to struggle in the mud like a lesser being," he sneered, seeming to forget the recent duel with his son that had left him far worse for the wear. "I simply shrug off annoyances like you like the flies that you are." Suddenly, the man lunged for his desk.

"Ash! Look out!" Misty screamed. Ash whirled to face Giovanni, Charizard's Pokéball in his hand. Raichu bounded forwards, his cheek pads sparking with power. Giovanni reached his desk and pulled open a hidden panel. In the secret compartment this revealed was a large red plunger switch. Giovanni slammed his hand down on the plunger as hard as he could.

There was a loud grumbling as six of the stone columns that held up the roof of the office slid down into the ground, revealing hollow Perspex columns hidden beneath them. Inside the Perspex columns were Clustanode electric-type Pokémon, the so-called 'cluster-bomb Pokémon.' Beneath each one of them was a Magneton. As Ash and the others looked on, the Magnetons began using Thundershock, feeding electricity into the Clustanodes, which began to glow with power.

"I see that you are surprised to see that I have some examples of Clustanode," Giovanni said in an oddly conversational tone of voice. "Team Rocket was able to start producing examples of that Pokémon within months of my dear brother's research paper that described the possibility of an evolved form of Electrode. Naturally, I realised the potential of the species at once." Giovanni stepped forwards and gestured around him. "Clustanode can absorb power from its' environment and use it to boost its' own power reserves. I designed this mechanism so that the Magnetons feed the Clustanodes electricity until they overload and use Explode. However, the power of a large group of 'over-fed' Clustanodes all detonating at the same moment is similar to a medium-yield nuclear device." 

"_Self destruct in five minutes,_" intoned a calm, feminine voice.

Giovanni laughed in a sick, insane fashion. "This building is now sealed. There is no escape for you or for any of the _failures _that allowed you to reach this far. In just over five minutes, these Clustanodes, and the hundred others like them in this building, will _simultaneously _reach critical mass and will reduce you all to a few stray vapours. As what of myself? Well, I am leaving for another Team Rocket base, where I will rebuild my organisation to a power and glory even greater than before. Then, I shall spread my perfect social order to cover the entire globe. Goodbye, you poor, deluded fools."

With a contemptuous laugh, Giovanni turned to the rear wall of the office. A hidden panel slid open, and Ash saw what looked like the cockpit of a one-man aircraft of some description. "_No_!" Ash shouted. Almost as one, all the Thunderbolts leapt forwards to stop Giovanni leaving, but they were all standing some distance from the man, and none of them could reach him before he ducked into the aircraft and made his escape…

[You will _not_ escape evil one!] Raichu shrieked. Responding to Ash's _subconscious thoughts_ rather than any word or conscious command, the electric-type Pokémon leapt into the air and unleashed a Thunderbolt attack. Giovanni, alerted by the Pokémon's enraged cry, stepped back and avoided the attack. However, this was Raichu's intent. The massive electrostatic discharge flashed through the hatchway into the aircraft and struck the control panels, making them spark and explode. As the controls and control systems of the small aircraft fused or shorted out, the clamps holding it to the side of the building snapped open and it tumbled clear, its' engine quickly winding down to stall as its' electrical system began to fuse and burn. Automatically, the access hatch slammed shut to ensure that none of Giovanni's enemies would use it to escape his wrath.

Outside, Giovanni's escape aircraft, a state-of-the-art tilt-fan courier, struck one of the lower levels of the pyramid and exploded into flames and tiny bits of wreckage.

Inside the office, there was a long, horrified pause before Giovanni leapt towards Ash, his hands curled into animalistic claws. Raichu leapt in between his Trainer and the insane human, making Giovanni jerk to a halt. He was not _that_ far-gone by a long margin. "You little idiot," he howled. "Do you know what you've done? Now we will _all_ die!"

Ash, strangely enough, found that he could laugh. "Do you really think so, Giovanni?" he asked. He shook his head in disbelief as he looked around him at the quickly charging living bombs within their Perspex prisons. "This is like the villain's secret plot in some bad spy movie!" Ash declared, still chuckling to himself. "Do you think that something this… _crude_ could possibly kill us?"

"_Self destruct in four minutes_," the computerised voice announced. 

Everyone was staring at Ash in surprise and disbelief. Most of them were asking themselves if Ash had gone mad too. Misty, however, felt a sudden surge of hope. Ash had a plan. She knew that now with absolute certainty. She knew that Ash could figure his way out of anything, given time, and he clearly needed no more time to complete his plan right now… 

Giovanni looked at Ash in a suspicious way. "What are you talking about, boy?" he asked.

Ash pulled a Pokéball from his bandoleer. "Your problem, father, is that you always look at Pokémon in terms of their maximum possible destructive power. You ignore features like their ability to confuse their opponents and render them unable to fight back. You ignore the inherit utility and the potential of subtler and less powerful attacking moves." Ash triggered the Pokéball and threw it upwards. "Clustanode, I choose you!" Ash's cluster bomb Pokémon materialised, hovering in the middle of the room. Ash pointed at the far wall, over the now-sealed hatchway. "Clustanode, use Frame Charge!"

The thirty component spheres making up Clustanode formed a large ring and flew over to lie flat against the wall before using Explode. The wall, and most of the ceiling, fell in with a roar of crumbling reinforced concrete. Giovanni staggered away from the explosion with a shriek of panic. In the confusion, Ash lost sight of him.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as the sunlight poured in to the room through the massive hole that Clustanode had opened up. In an instant, Ash released Charizard, Misty released her Dragonite and Brock released his Aerodactyl. "Okay people, mount up," Ash commanded, enticing Raichu to his shoulder before turning to his Dragon. "We've got to get as far from this place as we can before these Clustanodes blow!"

"Ash, what about all the Rockets trapped in this building?" Joy asked urgently.

Ash looked at her, his eyes filled with a guilt and torment that made her unconsciously step back in horror. "There is nothing that we can do for them," Ash said quietly. "Father created a near-perfect death trap. If we try and get them out too, we will accomplish nothing but joining them in death."

Joy swallowed hard, but nodded her understanding, her eyes filled with grief for the lives about to be thrown away because of Giovanni's inhumanity to even his own followers. "_Self destruct in three minutes_," reported the voice through the few remaining functional speaker units.

Ash was just about to climb onto Charizard's back with Jessie when he heard a voice call out his name. _Giovanni_. Ash turned to see his father. A couch-sized lump of concrete had landed on the man, crushing his legs. "Ash… help me…!" the man begged.

Ash rushed over to his father. He tried to move the lump of concrete, but it was futile. It had to weigh a half tonne at least. "I'm sorry," he said in a level tone of voice. "There is nothing that I can do."

"_Please_!" Giovanni begged, reaching out to his son, desperately trying to grab his arm. "I will do anything! I… I will surrender myself as you wanted… I… I… I have money! Power beyond your imagining! It is all yours! Please… _help me_!"

Ash stepped back, his face twisted with torment and conflicting emotions. "That piece of rubble is too heavy," Ash said. "None of my Pokémon who are still conscious are strong enough to move it in the amount of time we have left…" Ash sighed and looked down for a moment. "For what it is worth, I'm sorry." Then, Ash allowed his heart to harden, remembering that others were trapped without hope of escape too. "Consider it ironic justice that you are going to fall victim to your own death trap."

"Ash… son… _please_!" Giovanni begged. "For the love of God… _mercy_…!"

Ash drew in a deep, shuddering breath. Then he met his father's eye and stood tall, his decision made. "Goodbye… father." he said. Then he turned his back on Joseph Oak, Giovanni diRocketti, his father, for one last time. He ran over to Charizard and leapt astride the red dragon's shoulders. "Let's go!" Use Fly, Charizard!"

"Ash… don't… _please_…!" Giovanni wailed, renewing his attempts to get the lump of concrete off of his legs. Charizard, Dragonite and Aerodactyl leapt into the air and the Thunderbolts were gone. "_NO!_"

"_Self destruct in two minutes! You have two minutes to reach minimum safe distance!_"

***

As Charizard rose into the air, accelerating for all he was worth, Jessie could feel the anguish in her half-brother's soul as she held onto him hard. Then, she suddenly realised that they had forgotten something, or rather _someone_. She looked back and, much to her horror, she saw Meowth standing on the lip of the hole that Ash's exploding Pokémon had carved open in the side of the pyramid. The feline Pokémon was dancing in terror, waving frantically to catch their attention.

Without a conscious thought, Jessie threw herself from Charizard's back, drawing a Pokéball as she did so. Her Fearaven materialised mid-air and caught her Trainer as she swooped back towards the building. 

Deciding not to do anything elaborate, Jessie had her flying-type snatch up Meowth in her talons before flying back the way that she came, desperately straining her wings to catch up with the other Thunderbolts and reach safety.

***

Giovanni continued to struggle with the lump of concrete. He had felt a sudden surge of hope when Meowth had entered the room, looking a bit battered, but triumphant. Then Jessie's Fearaven had snatched him away and fled for the horizon, leaving Giovanni alone again. "_Self destruct in ninety seconds and counting_," the calm computerised voice announced. 

Giovanni could hear the rapidly building whine of power as the Clustanodes continued to build towards critical mass. He didn't bother appealing to the Pokémon. Team Rocket's scientists had modified both the Clustanodes and the Magnetons so that they were utterly mindless, capable of performing just this one deadly function. Instead, he redoubled his struggles to free his crushed legs. For a few split seconds he managed to lift it slightly and hope blossomed in his heart. Then it dropped down again and the agony almost made him black out. "No…" he muttered to himself. "It can't end like this! I will not die _thus_! _I will not permit it_!"

__

You truly are egotistical, a warm baritone voice said, echoing not in Giovanni's ears but in his mind. _Do you believe that something will not happen simply because you do not wish it_?

Giovanni froze, wondering if pain, shock and loss of blood had finally destroyed his mind. He was hearing _voices_? Then, his remarkable self-belief, which had allowed him to ignore signs of insanity in himself for almost twenty years, kicked in. If there was a voice here, then someone else was in the room with him. "Who is there?" he called out. "Who… Show… show yourself!"

With a graceful cat-like tread, a purple-grey bipedal cat-like Pokémon with a long tail with a bulbous end and three rounded fingers on both forelimbs stepped forwards. Giovanni could not believe his luck. "M… Mewtwo?"

__

Yes, Giovanni diRocketti, Mewtwo confirmed as he walked towards the Leader of Team Rocket, his face and his telepathic voice both without expression. _It is I_.

"Thank God!" Giovanni laughed hysterically for a few moments before looking at his most powerful creation. There _was_ natural justice in the universe, after all! Order, preparation and a cause that was truly right _were_ rewarded by the fates! "We don't have much time, Mewtwo. Use Kinesis to lift this bit of debris off of me, and then Teleport us to the Team Rocket base in Goldenrod City!"

Mewtwo cocked his head. _Why should I do that?_ he asked in a puzzled tone of voice.

"_Self destruct in sixty seconds! Fifty-nine… Fifty-eight… Fifty-seven…_"

"Do you hear… hear that?" Giovanni spluttered. "Wh… when that countdown ends, this building and everything for a mile around it will be _destroyed_! You… you have to get me… out of… here!"

Mewtwo stared at the man who caused his creation levelly. Then, without any urgency or haste, he walked over and crouched beside him. _Personally, I feel that the Chosen One described it well_, the Psychic-type Pokémon said in an amused tone. _It is _ironic justice_ that your own death trap should claim you_.

Giovanni began to foam at the mouth. The countdown had reached thirty seconds. He clawed at Mewtwo, but the Pokémon was just out of reach. "Mewtwo, I… I am your… your _creator_…" he gasped weakly as his injuries began to take their toll. "I… I… _command_ you!"

__

You may have caused my creation, Mewtwo said, _but that does not make you my master, Giovanni diRocketti. I am my own agent now, and I see no reason to help you avoid your destiny_.

"_My destiny is to rule_!" Giovanni shouted. "It is my destiny to bring _order_ to the world! It is not my destiny to _die_ like _this_!"

Mewtwo smiled and Giovanni could swear that he could hear telepathic laughter. _You may continue to believe that if it gives you comfort_, Mewtwo said. _However, the reality of the situation is somewhat different. You have fallen, Dark One. The next, stronger generation has swept you aside for your failures and your evil, as is the natural order of things. There is nothing left for you to do but to lie here in your blood and filth and die._ Mewtwo stood up and stepped back.

"Mewtwo, I… I… co… _command_…!" Giovanni grated, reaching out desperately for his renegade creation.

"_Twenty-five… twenty-four… twenty-three… twenty-two_…"

__

You never had the right to command me, Mewtwo announced. _I only ever obeyed you in the past out of youthful naiveté and lack of moral experience. That time has long passed. And now _your_ time has come to an end, Joseph Jonathan Oak._

"That… that name has… no… meaning… to me…!" Giovanni gasped out hatefully.

__

It is the name of your true self, Mewtwo replied. _You have simply forgotten what it means. I had hoped to remind you of it, before the end._

"Joe… Oak was… weak!" Giovanni hissed. "Better… dead…!"

"_Thirteen… twelve… eleven…_"

__

Perhaps, then, he truly is_ dead_, Mewtwo said regretfully. _Goodbye Giovanni diRocketti, my once and never again master. May the Maker have mercy on you for your crimes. _There was a flash of white light, Mewtwo blurred like a bad-quality TV picture and then he was gone.

"NOOO! COME BACK!" Giovanni shouted. He began to struggle weakly, but his strength was almost gone. The last hint of sanity in his mind dissolved in his final mortal terror. Gibbering and screaming, he began to beat uselessly at the lump of debris that pinned and crushed his legs. He would _not_ die thus! "No!"

"_Six… five…_"

"_No_!"

"_Four… three…_"

"NNNOOOOOO!" And, in the deepest reaches of Giovanni's mind, a long ignored and forgotten voice called Joseph Oak cried out in triumph as he was _finally_ released from unimaginable torment.

"_Two… one… execute._"

***

The entire half of the sky behind the four fleeing Team Thunderbolt Pokémon seemed to turn into blue-white light. Even through his clothes, Ash could feel the skin on his back begin to blister and burn. The sudden out-rush of energy was simply too unimaginably _great_ to generate a sound. A blue-white bubble of displaced atmosphere began to spread out from the explosion. In less than five seconds, it nearly filled half the sky! Somehow, despite his sudden, utter terror, Ash managed to gesture to his friends that the _must_ land immediately.

The four Pokémon landed as gracefully as they could in a grassy meadow. Jessie recalled Fearaven, grabbed Meowth and dived underneath Charizard with Ash, who had just recalled Raichu into his customised grey-and-white super-type Pokéball with the lightning bolt painted over the recall lens. Ash jumped astride his older half-sister, hoping to use his slightly greater body mass to pin her to the ground.

To Ash's left, James pinned down Misty and Togetic under Dragonite, while Brock covered Joy underneath Aerodactyl.

Through his chest, Ash could feel his sister muttering desperate prayers. Jessie was trembling in panic. All the harsh experiences of her life could not have prepared her to face _this_. 

James held on to Misty as tightly as he could. He could feel the icy hand of hysteria close around his heart, but he refused to succumb. _God, if you're listening_, he prayed, _save Jessie and the others. They are good people and they don't deserve to die. I don't mind what happens to me. I've lived a good life and I have achieved all of my goals_.

Brock held onto Joy as hard as he could, grinding his fingers into the earth to get a better purchase on safety. Joy was a warm presence underneath him, and that made him feel calm. "In this life or the next, I will always love you, Joy," he whispered.

"Now and forever, my love," she replied.

Oddly enough, Misty was at peace. The quest was over. She had experienced wonders beyond imagining. She had fought the fine fight. She had known the love of a truly great man. She was ready for God's judgement. Whether they were going to live or die, her soul was prepared.

Ash wished with all his heart that his friends would live. He also swore to whoever might be listening that he would not make the same mistakes that his father had made. He would be a servant, and would never, ever dream himself a master of other men.

Then the shock wave of 1,000mph winds struck home, blasting the leaves from the trees as if an invisible hand had swept them away. Charizard and the other dragon-types drove their talons as deeply into the earth as they could in a desperate attempt to stop the supersonic winds from blowing them away. 

Then the back suction took the place of the shock wave, air and everything not securely attached to the earth being dragged back into the 5,000-degree plasma furnace that had once been the headquarters building of Team Rocket. The breath was sucked from the six heroes' mouths and they could feel unconsciousness beckoning. Ash held on grimly, trying to force himself to breathe, knowing that surrendering would mean death for himself and his sister. Underneath Ash, Jessie screamed inaudibly in utter panic, her long hair streaming out past her brother's face and into the lethal suction. All of the Thunderbolts, human and Pokémon were screaming or roaring in terror as the wind tried to suck them to their doom.

Then… it was over. Ash collapsed on top of Jessie, who had blacked out from terror and near-asphyxia. Ash opened his eyes and realised that he was alive. He slowly lifted himself to his feet and looked back the way they came. An enormous grey-black mushroom-shaped cloud was rising five miles into the sky from where the headquarters of Team Rocket had once stood. 

James dragged himself from under Dragonite and ran over to hug Jessie, who woke up slightly disoriented but unutterably glad to see her lover's face again. Joy had rolled over and Brock was still hugging her, kissing her as hard and as deeply as he could. Aerodactyl looked under her wing at the two humans and snorted in a good-natured draconic laugh. 

Misty stood up and looked at Ash. Their eyes met and they both began to run. They reached each other's arms and hugged tightly, promising never, ever to let go. Ash kissed Misty deeply and lovingly as Togetic and Raichu broke out of their Pokéballs and flung themselves into the hug too. "I love you, Misty Mermaid," Ash said quietly.

"I love you Ash," Misty replied. The two kissed again, unaware of anything else in the world.

Underneath Charizard, Meowth stood up unsteadily, looking around himself in confusion. He was tingling all over, and he knew that it wasn't that big Explosion that they had all just ridden out. He had felt like this since he had slapped down that stupid Persian… "Hey, guys…" he called out to the deliriously relieved humans. "I think dat… Aw… NO!"

However, it was too late to stop it, so Meowth simply resigned himself to his fate. He turned into a bright white light, which changed shape, becoming quadrupedal and sleeker. The humans turned heard his cry and turned to look in some amazement. When it was over, James blinked and spoke. "Are… are you okay?"

The newly evolved Pokémon rolled his eyes in contempt. "Purr-sian! Whadya think, Jamie-boy?" Persian asked in a contemptuous voice. Jessie and James laughed and ran over to hug their friend.

***

About an hour later, the six Thunderbolts and their Pokémon allies made camp in the same grassy clearing where they had landed. All of them were too tired to even think of leaving for home just yet. A long battle and an escape from an unthinkable cataclysm had left them exhausted, both physically and emotionally.

Misty walked over to where Ash was sitting. Her lover was staring at the spot where the Headquarters pyramid had once stood, twelve miles away on the cliff tops of Black Island's North Coast. The mushroom cloud hand long since drifted away on the gentle breeze. Now, there was just a huge depression as if someone had scooped a huge chunk of the cliff tops away with a gigantic ice cream scoop. "Ash?" she asked gently. "What's wrong?"

"So many dead," Ash said at last with a deep sigh. "I should have planned better, Misty," he said. "I should have been ready for my father to try something like this."

Misty sighed and sat next to her soul mate. "Ash, you aren't God," she said. "You can't know everything and be ready for every eventuality. We won and we got out alive. Maybe that is the best outcome that we could hope for in the circumstances." Ash turned away and looked down, clearly very depressed. Misty hugged him, but felt the tension in his shoulders. "Ash, please don't do this to yourself. We have won the war, and I don't want to lose you when we have a future at last."

Ash shrugged off her arm. "You don't understand!" Ash grated out. He looked up at Misty with flashing, angry eyes. "Hundreds of people today _died_ because of me! Including my own _father_!"

"Don't even _think_ that!" Misty snapped in reply, grabbing him by the shoulders and forcing him to look into her eyes. "Ash, it was _Giovanni_ who set that trap! He was the one who arranged it so that everyone except him would die! There was no time to do anything and so there was _nothing_ you could have done. It was Giovanni's fault, not yours!"

Ash looked down and Misty felt the tension leave him. However, the defeated expression on his face made her feel bad. "Ash, you cannot feel responsible for the sins of your father," she said at last.

"My father's sins," Ash repeated hollowly. "My own father. And I left him to die."

Misty sighed. She had guessed that this was the problem. Ash had never wanted it to end _this_ way. Now he was feeling contradictory feelings of victory and guilt.

"That's right," said another voice. Ash and Misty both jumped and turned to see James looking at Ash in a compassionate way. "You left him to die. You looked him right in the eye and told him to say 'hi' to the Devil on his way to Hell."

Misty glared at the former Rocket dangerously. "You are _not_ helping, James," she hissed.

James ignored the ginger-haired girl and continued to talk to Ash. "What do you want me to say, Ash? I can't say that you were right to walk away when he begged for your help. I can't say that there was no other way to resolve this matter. I certainly can't say that you will _ever_ stop seeing his face at the moment that you turned your back on him and left him to _die_." James ran a shaking hand through his lavender hair before continuing. "I know I will keep seeing Butch's face when I blew his brains out… and Cassidy's face as she choked to death on her own blood… for the rest of my life." James shook his head and looked into Ash's eyes again. "All I can say is that what you did was _necessary_. He was a bad person, Ash. He would have kept on killing if he had lived. What is more, he had arranged things so that there was no time to save him. Don't feel guilty that he died by his own act of treachery. You saved what you could and you should take comfort in that."

"I will never believe that anyone's death is _necessary_, James," Ash finally replied, his expression indicating that he was deep in thought. 

James shook his head again. "Ash," he sighed, "how I wish that was true."

Ash managed a slight smile and walked away. Misty shot James a brief nod of thanks and ran off after her lover.

***

The sun had set and Misty had been sitting watching Ash, who had been watching the stars come out. The 17-year-old, who had just overthrown the world's most powerful terrorist organisation, was deep in thought. Suddenly there was a blur of motion and, as he had been this morning… _God, it seems a lifetime ago_… he was surrounded by the Legendary Birds and the Legendary Dogs.

__

So the battle is over, Guardian, Lugia announced, bobbing his head in greeting.

"Indeed," Ash said. He smiled up at the huge sea creature, the first genuine smile that Misty had seen since the battle. "You have all paid your debt to me, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

__

'Debt?' Suicune asked in a puzzled tone of voice. _Guardian, there is no 'debt', as you put it. You are the Chosen One. We exist to serve you in your long struggle for the future_.

"A struggle that is, at long last, over," Ash said. "As I said, thank you. Go in peace, my friends." The Legendary Pokémon did not leave. Ash shivered involuntarily at their level, penetrating gaze. "Guys?" he asked at last.

__

Guardian, Entei said at last, _the struggle has only just begun._

"What do you mean?" Misty asked, her curiosity and outrage overwhelming her sense of awe and her fear of the Legendary Pokémon. "Haven't we done enough for you?"

__

Team Rocket was an open wound in the collective soul of humanity, Vercinimous Wing announced levelly. _However, it is not enough simply to heal a single wound. The whole body _must_ be made healthy again, or another wound will inevitably replace it, one far worse than the previous one._

Ash shook his head, more in confusion than denial. "Are you saying that it isn't over? That I have to continue fighting?"

__

When is the struggle to improve civilisation ever over? Articuno asked. _Guardian, that is a struggle that can only be lost, never won_.

"I… I don't want this," Ash said, clutching at Misty in almost childish anguish. "You _can't_ ask me to keep fighting forever!"

There was a ripple of wordless laughter. _Guardian, have you ever hesitated to help people in need?_ Lugia asked. Ash shook his head, curious despite himself. _It has never mattered to you the scale of the problem that you face,_ the Titan of the Oceans continued. _If innocents are in need, you have acted to help them. It is your nature. This quality defines who and what you _are_. You know as well as all of us that some problems cannot be solved on the scale of the individual. You must be willing to act on the largest possible scales to improve matters. As overwhelming as that possibility seems, you of all beings know the Power of the One to achieve the greatest of wonders_.

Misty squeezed Ash's hand as her boyfriend looked up into Lugia's eyes, suddenly without fear. "I understand," Ash said at last. "You are right, of course," he continued. "I could never stand by when others are in need… And acting against Team Rocket has taught me that it is possible to _act_ as well as _react_. Maybe… maybe it is possible to act on the world stage, and make the world a better place…"

There was a telepathic thrum of approval. Ash turned to Misty, who simply smiled lovingly. "Hey, you aren't going on a world crusade without me, Hero," she said teasingly. "This sounds like one of these 'destiny' things. You've got me on side… if you need me?" There was a little wistful tone to that last question.

"I would never be able to win without you, Misty," Ash said in a sincere tone. "You are the thing that keeps me sane and focussed. You… you are the other half of my soul."

Misty swallowed her surprise at hearing this. "Ash… I never tire of hearing things like that," she said with a slight smile. She reached out to stroke Ash's cheek with the back of her hand.. "I am always here for you," she continued. "Wherever you go, I will follow."

"That's good," Ash replied, hugging Misty and pulling her as close as he could, "because I don't want to go anywhere without you, my love."

The two of them kissed deeply. Then, as they reacted to the stresses of the day and the massive power surrounding them, the kiss grew deeper and they began to express their insatiable need for each other; their need to express the joining of their souls. Heedless of the approving gaze of the Legendary Pokémon standing around them, they began to make love in the small glade.

Raichu sighed and rolled his eyes and Togetic began to giggle.

__

Leave them be, young ones, Arbora announced gently. _This too, is a form of healing._

***

Next morning, Brock, Jessie, Joy and James were just packing up camp. Persian was looking around him in some confusion. "Hey! Where's Ash and Misty got to?" he asked.

"We're right here," Ash said, sending Persian leaping into the air in surprise. Ash and Misty looked pretty scruffy, as if they had been rolling around in the dirt or something… _Oh_. Tactfully, the feline Pokémon decided that he would _not_ ask what they were doing, as humans preferred to keep things like that private.

"So, are you ready to head for home?" Brock asked.

"Home," Joy sighed, her eyes closed as she smiled and thought of a life without constant struggle. "I can't wait."

"Neither can I," James said quietly.

"Why not?" Jessie teased gently. "What have _you_ got that is waiting to be done?"

"Well, I have to claim my inheritance," James said, counting off the matters on his fingers. "I have to take charge of father's businesses, which I bet are in a mess after his being murdered like that. Then I have to arrange for the rebuilding of the Palace… Well, there are lots of things really." Jessie smiled proudly. Her James had _at last_ found maturity and responsibility. Tears sparkled in her eyes. She loved him _so_ much. "And, of course, there is the wedding," James continued.

"Wedding? What wedding?" Ash asked, a little confused.

"Ours, of course," Joy said, conforming herself to Brock's side in a sensual way.

"That too," James said, waving his hand dismissively. "I meant, _my_ wedding to Jessie here."

There was a long, drawn-out silence as the other four Thunderbolts backed off from Jessie and James. "Purr-sian! Here it comes!" Persian said fearfully.

Jessie stalked forwards until her face was right in front of James' "What do you mean 'my wedding to Jessie'?" she asked in an icy tone of voice.

James blanched slightly, but he didn't back off. "Jessie," he protested. "I would never be able to handle all the responsible stuff without you to back me up! Can't you see things my way for once?" Seeing the building rage in Jessie's eyes, he continued hurriedly. "Look, you don't have to decide now," he said. "Jessie, I love you, and I don't want to do anything if it's not with you!" Jessie stopped and simply stared at James in shock. "None of it will be worth it if you aren't there," he continued.

Jessie's expression went through several startling transformations before the brightest smile that Ash had ever seen this side of Misty's best suddenly lit up Jessie's face. She grabbed James and the two of them kissed.

"Well, Persian guesses dat means 'yes,'" Persian said sarcastically.

Ash and Misty laughed as they looked at the two kissing couples. Ash winked at Misty and cleared his throat. When he had everyone else's attention, he spoke. "Actually, I have an announcement of my own to make," he said.

Brock's eyes bulged out. "Ash… you and Misty?" he blurted.

Ash blushed and looked at Misty in embarrassment, who looked down in a demur fashion. "Maybe one day in the not-too-distant future," he said. "But neither of us want to marry while we're still teenagers." Ash shook his head and looked at his four closest human friends again. "No, this is about a much larger future." Ash drew in a deep breath before continuing. "My father, Joseph Oak, had a dream. He had a dream that the many troubles of this world could be healed by a dedicated band of Pokémon trainers, at one with each other, with their Pokémon friends, and with the concepts of justice, freedom and peace. However, he fell and became Giovanni diRocketti. Team Rocket, his instrument that he intended to remake the world, was twisted into a thing of evil. Well, Giovanni is dead now, so perhaps my father's dream can live again."

There was a long pause before Jessie spoke up. "What do you mean?" she asked quietly.

Ash gestured around him. "Look at what we've achieved together!" he said. "If that is what six Trainers can do, then what about sixty? Or _six hundred_? We have proven that it is possible to shake the world when we work together to a common goal. And that is what I want to do. There are so many people in need in the world today. There are so many problems that need solving, and I want to do my bit to solve them. And I would like… I would be _honoured_ if you would chose to stand with me when I do. I want to make the world a better place."

"So do I," Misty said in a quiet but clear tone of voice. "I have already sworn to follow Ash wherever he goes."

"There is going to be one limiting condition," Ash continued. He looked at James. "Killing is never _necessary_. If it ever becomes necessary, then we have failed in some way." He raised his hand to stave off protest. "Self defence is one thing, but we have no right to stand judgement on a person or persons and decide whether they should live or die. That is a decision to be made by international law and the expressed will of the people as a whole."

"I'm in," Brock said quietly. Joy looked at her fiancé, then looked at Ash. After a moment, her wicked, mischievous smile came out and she nodded in firm agreement.

Everyone looked at the two former members of Team Rocket. "Oh, I'm in," Jessie said with a laugh. "I caused a lot of trouble as one of Team Rocket, and I would _love_ the chance to make amends. Besides," and here she smiled warmly, "the dream is a good one."

"What are we going to call ourselves?" James wanted to know. Everyone looked at him. He sighed and continued in a slow, deliberate way. "We need to have some kind of organised structure, and we need a banner to fight under."

"Why not use the one we already use?" Joy suggested. "I love being a Thunderbolt!"

"Dat's it!" Persian cried excitedly. "We're _Team Thunderbolt_!" Everyone grinned in response.

"So we are agreed?" Ash asked James. The man nodded.

"I have a great idea for a team uniform," Jessie said thoughtfully. She saw the way the others were looking at her and laughed. "Oh, nothing as… _ostentatious _as the Team Rocket uniforms," she assured them. "Something subtle that gives protection and utility, but still gives a clear sense of _belonging_."

"Talk to my Mom," Ash suggested. "She's great at this sort of thing." Jessie nodded and looked inward as she thought about it some more.

"We need some kind of motto too," Brock suddenly suggested. "Something that expresses our goals and our mission."

"I think I've got one," James said. He stepped forward and extended his right arm at waist height. "Wherever there is injustice and pain," he began.

Jessie stood next to him and extended her right hand to touch James'. She continued, the words pouring from her mouth as if they were being dictated to her by some unseen power. They just seemed… _right_. "And the those who are good struggle in vain,"

Brock stepped up and placed his right hand on top of Jessie's. "We shall drive away the evil in a flash of light,"

Joy stood opposite James and placed her right hand on top of Brock's. "Dispel the darkness like the lightning bright," 

Misty actually _laughed_ before standing opposite Jessie and putting her right hand on top of Joy's. _Why the hell not? _she asked herself. _I always liked those lines from their motto!_ "Always defending the joys of truth and love," she said, winking at Jessie and James, who grinned weakly at her in return.

Ash grinned, stood opposite Brock and put his right hand on top of Misty's. "Extending everyone's reach even to the stars above!"

"James!"

"Jessie!"

"Brock!"

"Joy!"

"Misty!"

"Ash! Team Thunderbolt, we strike wherever it is right!"

Raichu suddenly leapt over Ash's back and right over the joined hands. [_Raichu_! That's right!]

The six young heroes laughed, punched the air in glee and defiance. The released their flying Pokémon and launched into the skies, heading for home and whatever the unknown future might hold.

__

To be concluded…

****

Concluding Note

That's right, folks! Don't go away, because there is still the epilogue to come!


	8. Epilogue: We Are Free

**__**

PoKéMoN

Avenger – a Pokémon epic by BenRG

****

Legal Disclaimer

Pokémon, the Pocket Monsters and their human friends and enemies are all the sole copyright and trademark property of Nintendo Entertainment and 4 Kids Productions. No breach of any copyright or legal property is intended.

****

Author's Notes

This is the last part of my first _Pokémon_ fic. As sad as it is, after all this time I _still_ don't know all the monsters or all the moves. I base my story purely on what I've seen of the cartoon and absorbed from other fan works. I thank all the other Pokémon writers on this board for providing plenty of inspiration. Special thanks to Charles "RocketBoy" Reilly, Wind, Joshua Falken, Kaz-Ohki and Catalina Storm for their comments, advice and encouragement.

Text in [squared-off brackets] indicates the translation of a Pokémon's language into English.

Text in _Italics_ but not in quotes indicates thoughts.

Text in "_Quotes and Italics_" are voices coming from a phone or speaker of some kind.

****

This is an Alternate Universe story

Ages: Ash is 17 and Misty has just turned 19; Brock is 25; Jessie and James are both 24; Richie is 17; Duplicia is 18; Sabrina is 24; Lance is 16; Joy is 29; Delilah is 38; Professor Oak is 47; Gary is 18.

****

Censor: R (Equivalent to UK '15' Certificate)

Content Warning: Swearing, explicit violence, description of injuries, implied sexual activity (including non-con) and mature topics.

****

Book 3 – The Return of the Crusaders

__

Epilogue – We Are Free

Where once stood a proud, peaceful community called Pallet Town was now something akin to a gigantic construction site. The vengeance of Team Rocket had reduced this hapless town to ruins, and now a new town, New Pallet, was rising in its' place. In these times of renewed hope and hard endeavour, it was easy to miss a small event like the homecoming of a group of local heroes.

However, somehow everyone had come to understand that Ash Ketchum and his friends were absent from the town that they had striven harder than most to rebuild for reasons that would be written in history itself. Now, as Delilah Ketchum and Samuel Oak stood in front of the Ketchum family home, waiting for Ash to return, they were joined by a larger and larger crowd on onlookers, who could somehow sense what was in the air.

Forming an impromptu escort around Sam and Delilah were Ash's four friends: Richie Yeager, Lance Hook, Sabrina von Daimen and Duplicia Simmonds. Then, around them, were a large number of townspeople, drawn by a sense of history.

Suddenly, three pairs of wings appeared in the skies above: A Charizard, a Dragonite and an Aerodactyl. The crowd parted as if at an inaudible command to leave a circular clear area so that the dragon-type Pokémon could land.

There was a long silence as Ash Ketchum, Misty Waterflower, Jessie Scarlet, James Weston, Brock Slate and Joy Burke dismounted and walked, like soldiers on parade, towards Sam and Delilah. Delilah frowned in worry as she looked at her only child's face. She saw exhaustion and the not-entirely-covered marks of pain, fear and suffering. However, the light in his eyes was steady, and there was no hint of any hurt, overt or otherwise, that could take him away from her.

Finally, she found her voice. "What happened Ash?" she asked.

Ash laughed ruefully. "What _hasn't_ happened, Mom?" he asked. "We went, we saw, we conquered."

"Conquered?" Professor Oak's bushy eyebrows went up in confusion, and a little appreciation at the mangling of the famous quote. "Please tell us what you mean, lad."

"It was a bad situation," Ash said, "but we survived."

"Is it… over?" Delilah asked.

There was a long pause before Ash smiled, warmly and broadly. "Yeah," he said. "It is over, forever. We are free."

Suddenly Delilah was laughing and crying at once as she ran over to her beautiful, wonderful, courageous son to hug him as hard as she could. Sam Oak joined her and the other Thunderbolts surrounded them, slapping each other on the back, cheering and shouting out the victory. "It's over!" Richie shouted out at the top of his voice. "Team Rocket is no more!" 

The cheers from the surrounding crowd were louder still. Cries of 'No more Team Rocket!' that spread out, growing louder and louder as the people of Pallet Town learnt of the vengeance extracted on their behalf, and of the certainty that no one ever need suffer thus again.

***

In this communications age, when no event is more than a telephone call away from the news agencies and several media groups own surveillance satellites to make it even easier for them to learn of breaking news, no news goes unreported for long.

The first to learn were the Trainers of psychic- and ghost-type Pokémon. Through Sabrina and her Pokémon, the news spread out across the Kanto Region, across Indigo, Orange, Johto and Crystal. People who had lived in fear of the blood red 'R' sigil of Team Rocket suddenly felt the weight of apprehension lifted as if by divine providence. Quickly enough, people were dancing in the streets, burning effigies in Team Rocket uniforms. 

Wherever there were Pokémon gyms or other facilities corrupted and controlled by Team Rocket, groups of Pokémon Trainers and ordinary citizens gathered. Doors were forced, secret panels literally torn from their frames and surprised and terrified agents and fighters seized and dragged into the streets and squares.

Firm but determined hands stripped them of weapons and Pokémon, and they found themselves bound and handed over to a surprised but grateful Security Police Force. There were no lynchings, no bloody acts of vengeance. None of the Team Rocket facilities were fired and there was no violence. Indeed there was great rejoicing as the people of the Kanto region took to the streets and celebrated around bonfires, with fireworks exploding overhead and Pokémon, wild and tame, leaping for joy at the wonderful feelings rising from every heart.

Mirroring these impromptu street parties were the celebrations on Black Island, where the freed workers who had toiled so long under the tyranny of Team Rocket and its' insane leader celebrated their newfound liberty.

Journalists who arrived to investigate the disturbances on the island, especially the enormous explosion that had forever altered the topography of the northern end of the island, were astounded to receive a joyous greeting from a battered, downtrodden but defiant people. With that greeting, the horrifying truth began to be told. Celebrations then began to spread across the world as everyone learnt of the horror that had last been brought to an end.

***

In Pallet Town, the celebrations were all the more joyful, with bonfires burning on every street and in every square. People were dancing and cheering. Those who knew went racing up to the ten members of Team Thunderbolt to greet and congratulate them on their victory. Children ran wild with their Pokémon friends, racing in between legs and dancing adults as a spontaneous anthem of joy began to be composed by a thousand voices.

Ash shushed a group of particularly noisy children and shooed them away from his mother and Professor Oak. The two of them were sitting under a tree and had fallen asleep. Sam had his arm around Delilah's shoulders and her head was lying against his chest. Both wore the same blissful smile of peace.

Ash smiled. For them, more than anyone else, it had been a long, hard road. Nearly twenty years of fear and desperation, hoping and praying that he would survive long enough to face the terrible truth of his parentage. Now, that harsh odyssey was over. They could rest and look to the future, a future that looked like they would share together.

With a smile, Ash tucked a blanket around the bodies of his mother and the man who had been a father to him for all his conscious existence. On a whim, he placed a kiss on his mother's cheek before heading off into the throng.

Unsurprisingly, he sought out his brother and sister Thunderbolts, who were celebrating in Foundation Square, where the town was originally founded and where its' rebirth also began. He ran over to Misty and hugged her, his joyful greeting making her laugh happily. Then he turned to hug Richie, Sabrina, Lance and Duplicia, who, despite the fact that they had not taken part in the final act, had been essential parts of the team that had freed them all from the shadow of the past.

One person was missing, the photojournalist Todd Marshall, aka 'Snap', who had been lodging with his mother…

When Ash saw him, his eyes opened wide in surprise. Snap was standing in the shadows some distance from the crowds, talking to a woman and an enigmatic figure. The woman could pass as a twin sister for Joy, and the other figure… was not human. It was a tall, dark, bipedal, yet feline shape. Ash had seen one of this kind of Pokémon before, it was a Mewtwo… But he thought that there was only one in the whole world…

Suddenly, Misty was holding onto his arm. "Hey, Hero," she said. "Come back to Earth, there are a lot of people in the real world who want you to join them."

Ash looked back, but the figures were gone, as was Snap. Perhaps he had only imagined them. He shook his head and turned back to Misty. "There is only one person who _I_ want to monopolise my attention, Misty," he said, making his girlfriend blush. He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and he allowed her to draw him away, back into the light and into the circle of his friends.

***

__

I… am Mewtwo,

It is my place, both by choice and calling, to observe the events on this marbled sphere known as The Earth.

Six years ago, I was honoured to stand witness as a boy named Ash Ketchum sacrificed his hopes, his dream, his future and his life so that he could prevent the shedding of blood on the alter of hatred and fear. 

But destiny is not easily denied, and not even Death has a firm hold on those touched by her hand. Now, the boy has become a man, and, once again, it has been my place to watch as Ash Ketchum fulfilled his destiny and crushed the shadow of evil that surrounded his father.

Now, I find myself wondering: what may the future hold? Will the instinct to do good always overpower the temptation to do ill? Will the desire to serve overcome the lust for power? Will the heir of Joseph Oak continue on his path to the heavens, or will the heavy burden of destiny break him as it did his father and send him down the same hopeless path to evil and misery? I do not know. Not even the gods know that yet…

But whatever should happen, I shall remain to bear witness. And to marvel at the story of a species so strange, so contradictory and so wonderful that its' greatest hopes, its' darkest fears, its' most glorious achievements and its' foulest crimes are all described by a single word… 'Human.'

***

"Hey, Ash!" Snap called. "Over here!"

Ash looked up from a thoroughly enjoyable make-out session with Misty to see the young photojournalist run over. "What is it, Snap?" he asked. "I'm kind of busy!" In Ash's arms, Misty giggled mischievously.

"Yeah, I guessed," Snap said sarcastically. "Come on, I want a shot of all of you together."

"All of us together?" Ash repeated stupidly.

"Yeah, you know a team photograph?" Snap said. "This is important stuff, you know. We should make a record of it!"

"I think that the first photograph should be of those who went to Black Island," Sabrina said firmly. Snap looked at her for a moment before nodding his agreement. Misty agreed too. She grabbed Ash by the arm and dragged him, quietly protesting, over to where the others were standing.

Lit by the warm, intimate glow of the bonfire, the six that had carried the fight to the heart of the darkness stood together. In the rear row stood Brock and Joy. James stood to the left with Jessie standing in front of him and Ash on the right with Misty standing in front of him. In between the two women Raichu, Togetic and Persian sat on a small table someone had got from somewhere. "Okay, watch the birdie, kids," Snap said, touching the imaging control of his digital camera.

At that moment, James tightened his grip on Jessie's shoulders, making her look up at him lovingly. Ash's arms curved around Misty's waist and she leant back into his embrace. Brock and Joy moved closer together, their heads resting together. It was those little gestures of love that Snap captured for all eternity with his camera. 

An image that would, one day, grace every history book carried by every schoolchild: A perfect moment of a perfect time.

__

Team Rocket is dead.

Long live Team Thunderbolt.

****

The End

Concluding Note

Well, what can I say? Two years on and I have finally reached the end of the longest haul of my life. I never realised when I, mostly out of boredom, wrote a short Pokémon story that had elements of the _Star Wars_ back story included in it, that I was starting something this big.

However, it soon took a life of its' own. One chapter became six… and then it became three whole _volumes_, and even now I have not reached the end of this long, long story.

I want to give my very special thanks to Joshua Falken who has stuck with me for the entire journey. You gave me, the renowned quitter, the will to carry on and tell my story. Thank you my good friend.

I do not have the room or the resources to thank all the 200 or more readers who reviewed this work at one time or another, so if you have read and reviewed, or if you have just read and _enjoyed_, then you have my sincerest thanks.

I have completely revised and updated Books One, Two and Three of the Avenger Saga, making them more consistent with the canon Pokémon universe and making them a lot more internally consistent too. I encourage new readers who have just joined me to click on my author's penname at the top of this page and read the entire saga. It will only take you four hours, but I think it is time well spent ;-)

Ash Ketchum and his friends have finally reached the end of a long and heart-breaking journey. They have faced the darkness within themselves and in the world around them and emerged triumphant. Now, we can let them rest. However, as the Legendary Pokémon warned, there is still much to do and many other stories to tell before Ash has fulfilled his destiny.

What do you guys think? I have another six _books_ worth of stories rattling around in my otherwise-empty head. Do you think I should take the time to write them down? Read and Review and let me know.

I thank you all again, and remember: **We all have a journey to make, and every person's journey is a great one in his or her heart.**


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